Rein Lang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rein Lang
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Rein Lang in 2011.
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| Minister of Culture of Estonia | |
| In office 6 April 2011 – 4 December 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Andrus Ansip |
| Preceded by | Laine Jänes |
| Succeeded by | Urve Tiidus |
| Minister of Justice of Estonia | |
| In office 12 April 2005 – 6 April 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | Andrus Ansip |
| Preceded by | Ken-Marti Vaher |
| Succeeded by | Kristen Michal |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia | |
| In office 21 February 2005 – 13 April 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Juhan Parts |
| Preceded by | Kristiina Ojuland |
| Succeeded by | Urmas Paet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 July 1957 Tartu, Estonia |
| Political party | Reform Party |
Rein Lang (born 4 July 1957) is an Estonian politician, a member of the Estonian Reform Party since 1995, and a diplomat. He was the Minister of Culture in Andrus Ansip's third cabinet until his resignation.
Personal life
Lang was born at Tartu. His father was appointed to work at the Soviet embassy in Helsinki; consequently, Rein Lang grew up partly in Finland, becoming a fluent speaker of Finnish. He has championed Finnish-Estonian relations. Lang received elementary and high school education in Tallinn English College (then known as 7th High School of Tallinn) and graduated cum laude from the University of Tartu in 1980, acquiring a degree in law.
Lang cohabits with Ulvi Kuusk, whom he met in 1979, and as of 2007 has one teenage daughter.
Career
In the later years of the Soviet Union, starting in 1986, Lang worked in the entertainment business. He was a deputy director of the Linnahall and in 1989 became a deputy director of the club 'Muusik' (Estonian for 'Musician'). In 1990, he became CEO of AS Laulusillad (Estonian for Song Bridges), and from 1991–2001 served at various positions in AS Trio LSL along with Hans H. Luik, establishing and running the first politically independent radio station in post-Soviet Estonia, Radio Kuku. Over the next several years, Lang launched two more radio stations: Radio Uuno, a music-only radio station, and the Russian language Radio Tallinn (later renamed Radio 100). In 2002, Lang and Luik sold their radio interest to their then co-partner from the United States, Metromedia International Group Inc.
During his years at Radio Kuku, Lang regularly appeared on talk shows, gaining considerable reputation as a political commentator. His most popular programme, the weekly 'Midday Hour' (Estonian: Keskpäevatund), has become legendary, and a subject of a number of jokes mostly associated with Valdo Jahilo. 'Of the state of the state' (Estonian: Olukorrast riigis) was also popular.
Following his departure from the media business, Lang served as deputy mayor of Tallinn from 2001 to 2003 and was a member of Riigikogu from 2003 to 2005. He served as the Deputy Speaker of Riigikogu and chairman of its European Affairs Committee. In 2005, Lang was the Minister of Foreign Affairs for two months, from February to April. With the resignation of Juhan Parts, the prime minister at that time, a new cabinet was proposed by Andrus Ansip; there, Lang served as the Minister of Justice, a position he officially took when the new cabinet took an oath on 12 April 2005. As the Estonian Minister of Justice, Lang was involved in the Constitutional Pilsener project.
From 21 May 2009 to 4 June 2009 he was also the acting Minister of the Interior.
