Kristen Michal

Kristen Michal (born 12 July 1975) is an Estonian politician. A member of the Estonian Reform Party, he was the minister of economic affairs and infrastructure in Taavi Rõivas' cabinet between 9 April 2015 and 22 November 2016. Previously, Michal served as the minister of justice from 2011 to 2012.

Michal was sworn in as Minister of Climate in the third cabinet of Kaja Kallas on 17 April 2023.

Early life and education
Michal was born in Tallinn on 12 July 1975. He studied law at Academy Nord and graduated in 2009. He has been pursuing master's study in law at Tallinn University's Law School since 2009.

Political career
Michal worked as an advisor at different levels for the Reform Party from 1996 to 2002. He became an advisor to then prime minister Siim Kallas in 2002. Michal served as the Elder of the Tallinn City Centre for one year (2002–2003). In 2003, he was named as the secretary general of the Reform Party and held this post until 2011. Michal has been a member of the Riigikogu from 2005 to 2011 and from 2012 to 2015.

He was appointed Minister of Justice on 6 April 2011, replacing another Reform Party member Rein Lang.

In May 2012, Michal was in the centre of accusations by Silver Meikar, a Reform Party member and a former member of the Riigikogu, that the Reform Party has been receiving donations from dubious sources for years. Both Michal and Prime Minister Andrus Ansip denied these allegations. Delegates from the Council of Europe's GRECO anti-corruption watchdog visited the country in June 2012 to investigate the accusations. On 31 July 2012, the Estonian State Prosecutor's Office announced that Michal and Kalev Lillo, another Reform Party member, were suspects in this case and that both had been interrogated. Michal was investigated on accusations of money laundering and illegal party financing. On 10 September 2012, the first day of parliamentary session, the Social Democratic Party's faction started a petition process for the resignation of Michal through a vote of no confidence. However, petition failed on 19 September 2012 when the party gave up the process. Michal announced that if he would be found guilty, he would resign from his post. The Estonian State Prosecutor's Office closed the case on 15 October 2012 without finding evidence of wrongdoing.

Michal's term as Minister of Justice ended on 10 December 2012, when he resigned from office. He was replaced in that office by Hanno Pevkur. From 9 April 2015 to 23 November 2016, Michal served as the minister of economic affairs and infrastructure.

On 29 June 2024, Michal was nominated by the Reform Party to replace Kaja Kallas as Prime Minister following the latter's appointment as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union.