Education minister resigns in wake of official car scandal

Photo: Tairo Lutter

Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps (Center) announced her resignation Friday evening, following a scandal that broke on Tuesday when daily Õhtuleht ran a story showing that Reps had the ministry’s driver ferry her children to and from school and had taken a ministry minivan on a holiday trip. “I admit that I have made mistakes and apologize,” Reps wrote on social media on Friday.

The tabloid wrote on Tuesday how Reps makes regular use of the ministry’s property and driver, also to take her children to school. Reporters also asked the minister whether she used her official car to take a trip to Croatia, which Reps initially denied. She took to social media a few hours later to admit that she was mistaken in her earlier comments. “I did take a trip to Croatia using my official car a few years ago. I apologize for the memory eluding me at first,” she wrote.

Reps to return to the Riigikogu

The ruling Center Party came to the defense of Reps and tried to shift the focus to journalistic ethics. Reps’ fellow centrists started accusing reporters of private surveillance and taking advantage of the minister’s children, trying to minimize the core issue of misuse of public funds and labor resources. “I cannot endorse children, minors being brought into this. Whether all six [of Reps’ children] or some of them. Their jackets and backpacks are clearly recognizable. I cannot approve of that,” Center Party chairman, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said. While Reps apologized for violating people’s sense of justice on Wednesday, she did not see reason enough to resign then, saying that she is dedicated to her work.

“Should this treatment, because of the scandal or some other aspect, start to interfere with my work – which is to be available in the field of education 24 hours a day – I will have to make corresponding changes,” she said.

After a week of public pressure, Reps announced her resignation on Friday. “The past week has been the most difficult period of my political career. I have come under considerable pressure as concerns marrying the roles of minister and mother. I admit that I have made mistakes and apologize,” Reps wrote on social media.

She added that she wants to offer her children a safe and peaceful environment growing up. “That is why I decided to resign as education and research minister today and take political responsibility for failing to marry professional and family life,” Reps explained.

“I would like to thank everyone who voiced their support,” the outgoing minister added.

Reps is the seventh minister in Jüri Ratas’ second government to have to resign and the first not belonging to the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE).

Minister chose family’s wellbeing

Jüri Ratas said that news of one of his closest allies resigning is grave. “It is undoubtedly a great loss for the field of education and the government as a whole. Mailis has served as Estonia’s education minister four times and is a proficient MP. She has also worked for the Center Party for 17 years, heading various party organizations and serving on its board,” Ratas wrote. Center is set to nominate a new ministerial candidate in the near future.

Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik (Center) said that Reps resigning is a major loss for the party. “It is perfectly understandable, considering the pressure she has come under over trying to reconcile working and family life,” Kiik said, adding that Reps is a mother of six and ended up putting her family first. “It is a major loss for the Center Party and the government. She has worked with dedication. I hope she will continue doing just that as an MP.”

Minister of Culture Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) said that Reps made the right call. Lukas said that the education minister resigned for two reasons. “She looked at the political situation and future to ensure government cooperation and harmony – that was definitely one of her motives.”

“But her main goal was to deliver her kids and family from under fire,” Lukas said. Member of the EKRE Riigikogu group Helle-Monika Helme, as well as opposition politicians commended Reps for her statesmanlike decision.