Mihkel Raud Going Into Politics
Songwriter, talent-show judge and TV presenter Mihkel Raud has become a member of the Social Democratic party.
Raud told Delfi on Monday he has spent the last 10 years pointing out problems to politicians as a host of various political and social television programs and is ready to move up to solving or preventing those problems.
“The Social Democratic party is a natural choice as my vision of an ideal Estonia is closest to the Social Democrats,” said Raud, whose brother is a famous academic and former head of Tallinn University.
He said he will continue interviewing politicians and other public figures on his shows.
Raud is known for writing songs for the band Lenna, which has come second in the Eesti Laul competition a number of times. He has also written books, a play and headed a fairly successful band. He has hosted and co-hosted many TV shows of which “Kolmeraudne” (translated as triple-barrel shotgun) is still running. Raud also played the Estonian version of Simon Cowell in the nation's version of “Pop Idol.”