After Estonia declared independence from the then warring
Russian and
German Empires in 1918, the
Provisional Government of Estonia was led by a Prime Minister until 1920. The 1920 Constitution set up a head of government whose position called the
State Elder (
riigivanem) and there was
no separate head of state. This system was a radically
parliamentary system because the State Elder could be dismissed by the
Riigikogu with a simple majority. Moreover, the State Elder was not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, nor could they ratify laws or dissolve the Riigikogu. The dissolution of Parliament was only possible through a referendum. Under the 1934 Constitution passed by plebiscite, the position of Prime Minister was recreated as head of government in a more
presidential system. Under this constitution, the head of state took the name State Elder (
riigivanem) identical to the name for the 1920–1934 head of government. The newly established head of state could appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and Cabinet, veto laws, give decrees (statutes) and dissolve the Riigikogu. The incumbent Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder of Estonia
Konstantin Päts, staged a
self-coup to counter the threat of the
Vaps Movement and suspended the full implementation of the 1934 Constitution, not going ahead with elections for the new head of state and suspending the parliament. Päts remained the Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder 1934–1937, and as
President-regent (
riigihoidja) for 1937–1938. According to the 1938 Constitution, the position of the Prime Minister was retained, while the head of state was finally renamed the President under a presidential system. The 1992 Constitution after the Soviet occupation reinstated the 1938–1940 positions of Prime Minister and President under a parliamentary system. ==List==