President Kersti Kaljulaid confirms Alar Laneman new interior minister
Laneman was formally proposed to the post by Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center) as a replacement for Mart Helme (EKRE), who resigned early last week.
Since it holds the ministerial post, the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) put up Laneman as replacement itself some days ago, though this still had to be formally confirmed, which it now has.
Laneman as a sitting MP will have to vacate the Riigikogu as per standard procedure; his seat will be taken by Urmas Espenberg, who himself had to briefly leave his seat to accommodate another fromer EKRE minister who was returning to the Riigikogu, Rene Kokk (Environment).
Laneman will also have to be officially sworn in at the Riigikogu.
Government ministers do not sit at the Riigikogu, but appear before it regularly for questions and other business.
Mart Helme stepped down after a media storm surrounding comments he made about the U.S. presidential elections and president-elect Joe Biden.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
