Pevkur, who resigned as defense minister in September, is one of at least five Reform Party politicians who have said they will not stand in the national election in March 2027.

The 49-year-old has served in seven governments and held ministerial posts in five different areas during his career.

"I have been in politics for 25 years, held a parliamentary mandate for 20 years and been a member of the government of the republic for 12 years. That is a very long time. And at a point when there are four months until the elections, you have to make a decision on whether to stand or not. I thought for a very long time and very seriously about what I want to do with my life going forward, and came to the conclusion that I will not stand in the next elections. Until circumstances become clearer, I will continue to fulfill the mandate I received from the people in parliament," the veteran politician told ERR.

"I have said this quite a few times in the past, that I will not switch parties," Pevkur said, ruling out standing for the Riigikogu under another party's banner. "For me, the most important things continue to be people's fundamental rights and freedoms and a liberal democratic system of government."

He said there are several reasons for his departure, including party politics, the political culture more broadly, his health and personal ambitions.

"I dare say that I would have been elected to the next parliament as well. It was not a question of whether I had to leave the Riigikogu because I would not win a mandate. Rather, it was my own personal sense of where I have reached in my political life, whether I still want to be in politics, and for now I decided to choose a different path."

Pevkur resigned as defense minister in September this year in connection with problems in the Estonian Defense Forces and arms procurement.

He told ERR that he is looking for opportunities in the private sector and is open to offers outside Estonia.

"I am not targeting any particular Estonian defense industry company, so that I close the door at the Ministry of Defense and the next moment go to work for an Estonian defense industry company. There has to be some kind of time buffer. In that sense, yes, I am open to offers and want to be a good taxpayer after my political career comes to an end," he explained.

Last week, ERR reported that there was uncertainty surrounding Pevkur's continuation in politics and whether he would stand in the Riigikogu elections. He said he would make an announcement this week.

The Reform Party's secretary general indicated there was a dispute over which electoral district Pevkur would stand in.

25 years in politics

Pevkur joined the Reform Party on June 15, 2000. He has been a member of five Riigikogu compositions and served as a minister on several occasions, holding portfolios for social affairs, justice, interior and defense.

From January 2017 to April 2018, he was chairman of the Reform Party.

In the 2023 Riigikogu elections, Pevkur stood as the Reform Party's lead candidate in Lääne-Viru County and received 6,567 votes. He was also one of the most popular candidates that year.

In 2024, Pevkur lost a bid to become Reform chairman and prime minister to Kristen Michal.

In March 2026, he was voted the most popular politician in the government. Earlier this year, he broke the record for longest-serving minister in re-independent Estonia.

Pevkur resigned as defense minister on September 2, taking political responsibility for shortcomings and questionable transactions that had emerged within the Ministry of Defense's area of administration, particularly at the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK).

Other Reform Party politicians who have previously announced that they will not stand in the elections include former Minister of Education Liina Kersna, former Minister of Justice Maris Lauri, former Minister of  Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt and Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.

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