Estonia's new Defense Minister Herem tops ministers' trust ranking

A recent survey by Emor shows that Estonian residents trust newly appointed Defense Minister Martin Herem more than any other member of government, with 40 percent of respondents expressing trust in him. Culture Minister Heidy Purga and Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller follow at a considerable distance, each trusted by 24 percent of respondents.

Previously, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur held the top spot, though his trust rating stood at just 28 percent in May.

Reputation from military command

Emor's head of research, Aivar Voog, noted that although Herem had only recently taken office when the survey began, he immediately stood out among government members. Voog explained that Herem had been publicly visible for years as commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, and his strong trust rating likely reflects the reputation and expert image he built in that role.

Voog also pointed out that the average trust rating across all ministers has risen slightly since May, from 12 to 16 percent.

Other ministers' ratings

Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi is trusted by 20 percent of respondents. He is followed by Interior Minister Igor Taro (18 percent), Prime Minister Kristen Michal (17 percent), and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta (15 percent each).

Lower trust levels were recorded for Education and Research Minister Kristina Kallas (13 percent), Energy and Environment Minister Erkki Keldo (12 percent), Regional Affairs and Agriculture Minister Hendrik Johannes Terras (11 percent) and Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis (10 percent).

New Economy and Industry Minister Liina Vahtra remains largely unknown to the public, so her trust rating will only become clear in future surveys.

The survey was conducted online by Emor between September 17 and 24, among 1,114 Estonian residents aged 16 and older.