Herem is seen as the most likely candidate to replace Hanno Pevkur, who resigned last week.

Under the coalition agreement with Eesti 200, the post of defense minister belongs to Reform, and the party may name the next defense minister tomorrow, Wednesday.

"I would imagine he has to weigh up the fact that he would be coming directly from a vital defense industry company into a ministerial position. There are conflicts of interest there. The fact that he himself was in office at the time and people close to him held positions in the institutions where all these problems emerged — would all this action and the restoration of trust be credible? That is something he has to consider," Läänemets said.

MP Peeter Tali (Eesti 200) said whoever the new defense minister is should quickly take charge of the sector; alleged mismanagement of procurement and leaving unknown the whereabouts of several million euros meant to go to an Indian company producing shells for Ukraine was what triggered Pevkur's resignation last Wednesday.

According to Tali, Herem has both advantages and disadvantages. "Herem is focused on developing national defense and on getting things done in a short period of time, within six months. The risk is that we must not come to a standstill and lose time," Tali said.

Reform Party secretary general Kristo Enn Vaga said the new minister can take the oath of office before the Riigikogu next week, when the Riigikogu convenes for its autumn session, adding the party is "screening people both from within and outside the party," with the party board to discuss the issue Wednesday of this week.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) discussed the post of defense minister with Herem last week, though no formal offer has been made. Herem is "certainly one of Estonia's strongest, if not the strongest, experts on security and defense issues, and he would be very well suited to hold the defense minister portfolio," Vaga added.

Herem was EDF commander until summer 2024 and is currently an adviser with private sector defense firm Milrem Robotics.

Pevkur had been defense minister since July 2022 and said while he was unaware of the issues with the procurement involving the Indian firm Datasel, he would take political responsibility for oversights.

Tali may also become new chair of the Riigikogu's National Defense Committee, which has been vacant since Kalev Stoicescu left Eesti 200 last month.

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