Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) however has said that every prime minister should have the right to appoint a state secretary who is to their liking.

"I believe that every top leader invariably assembles a new team, be it in government or in other roles," Michal remarked.

Its title notwithstanding, the role of state secretary in Estonia bears no resemblance to the U.S. secretary of state, for instance. While the latter is effectively foreign minister, the state secretary (Riigisekretär) heads up the Government Office, and is roughly the equivalent of the ministries' secretaries general.

However, the government aims to amend the Government of the Republic Act, to give the position, and also the Government Office (Riigikantselei) a more prominent role than it has had to date.

Political commentator Meelis Oidsalu has said that, while he supports changing the state secretary requirements and job description, in this case the changes in questioned are being tailored with one particular candidate in mind, namely Keit Kasemets.

Kasemets is current Ministry of Climate secretary general, and is a political scientist by education, rather than a lawyer.

That Kasemets was in the running to replace Taimar Peterkop, who has held the role since 2018, became apparent when he took leave from his climate ministry postiion to take part in last month's Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 coalition negotiations.

Oidsalu, himself a former long-serving defense ministry undersecretary, said: "The idea that reform is necessary is right.

"This issue has been lingering for a long time, particularly that of reshaping of the state secretary's profile. But essentially, we are seeing a prime minister who gets to choose their own state secretary," he went on.

Oidsalu said this was not the first time this happened.

"Jüri Ratas selected Taimar Peterkop. In that sense, there's no need to announce any competitive process," he added.

The Ministry of Justice expediting the legislative changes which would expand the state secretary role, and remove the requirement that the officeholder must have a higher legal education, as well as expanding the Government Office role.

Prime Minister Michal said: "First and foremost, the Government Office may need more analytical support and a strategic perspective. As of today, we have many questions about what we can do with budgetary cuts, how to support that, how to grow the economy, and how to enhance competitiveness."

"Ministries also offer this perspective, but, in reality, the Government Office should take the broader view. I have no complaints about Taimar Peterkop; we get along very well, I respect him, as a good Estonian man, but let's say, changes are needed for the future," the prime minister went on.

The proposal to eliminate the legal education requirement has also found support from one of Peterkop's predecessors, and current Supreme Court justice, Heiki Loot, who recommended the change six years ago.

Loot did not see a legal education background as essential to the post.

However, Loot, Oidsalu, and former Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Isamaa) all argue that the position is meant to provide continuity which extends across different governments.

If the position were to become a political plaything, that tradition could be jeopardized.

Jüri Ratas, prime minister 2016-2021, said: "In my opinion, it would be a very bad thing if we were to create a precedent which once existed with chancellors when new ministers came in—I remember, in 1999, when perhaps five secretaries general were replaced, who were undoubtedly very knowledgeable and skilled in their fields."

"This should definitely not happen; the position of Secretary of State should not be subject to political whims or be replaced each time there is a new prime minister," Ratas added.

"The state secretary truly must exude trustworthiness and convey the image that, regardless of who the prime minister is currently, the government may change, but the entire state apparatus remains fully functional," he added.

Oidsalu also noted "indications of politicization with the current secretary of state," ie. Peterkop, giving the example of controversy over appointment to former Reform Party minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus and her nomination to the European Court of Auditors.

"Suddenly, in a situation where Prime Minister Kaja Kallas remained silent on the issue for six days, the state secretary and the secretary general of the finance ministry leaped into the affray," Oidsalu recalled.

"We need to be cautious on whether Estonia should move towards a model whereby every prime minister brings in their own state secretary, as this could lead to other relationships and loyalties playing too large of a role," Heiki Loot said.

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