The Time magazine has included the Estonian prime minister, Kaja Kallas, in its Time100 Next list – that recognises a hundred rising stars from across industries and around the world.
Time included Kallas in the Time100 Next list’s “Leaders” section and her introduction was written by the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin.
“Kaja Kallas first contacted me only hours after taking office as the Prime Minister of Estonia in January 2021. Ever since, we have worked together closely, strengthening our bilateral relations and those within the European Union,” Marin wrote.
“Together, we share an agenda of ambitious climate policy and transformation of our energy policies, emphasizing renewables while cutting our dependence on Russian fossil energy.”
“Within the EU, Kallas is a strong voice in our joint support for Ukraine, which is suffering from the unjustified aggression of Russia. The fundamental change in our security environment has led Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. Estonia’s support for our bid has been unwavering throughout the process,” according to Marin.
“Kaja Kallas is leading her country with a strong European conviction, which will undoubtedly grow even deeper with the strengthened joint defense of our region. Our frequent meetings as leaders of our governments are also meetings of minds.”
“Extraordinary efforts to shape our world”
The Time magazine publishes the Time100 Next list every year. It says the list recognises 100 rising stars from across industries and around the world.
“There is no one way to have an impact, so there is no one way by which Time measures the influence essential to its selections. As a result, and by design, the 2022 Time100 Next list features musicians as well as medical professionals, government officials as well as movement leaders, and high-profile whistle-blowers alongside top CEOs—all curated by Time’s journalists and informed by their reporting,” the magazine says.
“What unites these individuals are their extraordinary efforts to shape our world—and to define our future.”
However, domestically, Kaja Kallas’s work as Estonia’s prime minister is not universally appreciated. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, just 10% of the polled voters thought that she made the best possible prime minister, according to a survey conducted by Eesti Päevaleht, an Estonian newspaper. The government she led, first struggled in its reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and her somewhat unemphatic responses in regard to many burning social issues in Estonia often received criticism.
Her popularity has increased since her strong reaction and statements against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and now stands at 27% – dropping from 32% a month earlier but still the highest support among the political party leaders currently represented in the Estonian parliament.
Time is an American news magazine published and based in New York City. It was first published on 3 March 1923.
