Estonia pays former presidents’ spouses thousands each month

Spouses of former Estonian presidents received representation payments and other benefits worth thousands of euros a month this year, ERR reports. The largest payment, €3,839.89, goes to Ingrid Rüütel, who became eligible for a survivor’s pension after her husband, former president Arnold Rüütel, died.

Under the law, the spouse of Estonia’s head of state is entitled to a representation payment equal to 30 percent of the president’s salary while the president is in office and 20 percent after the term ends. At current salary rates, those amounts are €3,071.91 and €2,047.94 a month, respectively.

Payments are currently made to Sirje Karis, wife of President Alar Karis; Rene Maksimovski, spouse of former president Kersti Kaljulaid; and Ieva Ilves, wife of former president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, presidential office spokesperson Epp-Mare Kukemelk said.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves’s former wife, Evelin Ilves, does not receive benefits provided for a president’s spouse. Lauri Madise has also waived all benefits since the end of September while working as a judge, Kukemelk said.

Ingrid Rüütel is covered by a separate arrangement. Because she was the president’s spouse while he was in office, she is entitled to a survivor’s pension equal to 75 percent of half the presidential salary, or €3,839.89 a month.

A 2025 government order also extended Ingrid Rüütel’s right to use a state-funded official car and related services. The order allows reasonable costs associated with maintaining her home to be covered as well.

By comparison, former presidents receive a pension equal to 75 percent of the president’s salary after leaving office. The monthly amount is €7,679.78. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Kersti Kaljulaid and Alar Karis currently receive it.

Ieva Ilves remains legally married to former president

Ieva Ilves receives support as the spouse of a former president because she and Toomas Hendrik Ilves have not legally divorced, although they have not been a couple since 2023.

“Yes, I receive a representation payment because our marriage has not yet been legally dissolved. The payment amounts to 25 percent of the head of state’s salary,” Ieva Ilves said. She added that the amount is tied to the president’s income, which is linked to the annual assessment of Estonia’s average income, and said she considered the payment fair and reasonable.

ERR spoke to Ilves about the role of a president’s spouse after she recently marked ten years since holding the position. She was the president’s spouse for nine months, from her marriage to Toomas Hendrik Ilves on January 2, 2016, until Kersti Kaljulaid became president on October 10 that year.

Ilves described the period as challenging but also very interesting, with new experiences and opportunities to learn. She said one of the main difficulties was continuing her career while also taking on the president’s spouse’s role, which could be demanding.

By then, she had more than 20 years of professional experience. She said they decided she would continue her work in the defence sector, which was important to both her and Toomas, given that less than a year remained in his term. She added that she always approached the position and its responsibilities seriously.