She was first mentioned in the context of the upcoming presidential elections back in the spring, and says she would address the economy among other key issues, if elected head of state.

Rute, who is currently Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Internal Market and Industry, also said she would be ready to enter a public debate with current presidential candidate front-runner Ülle Madise.

How did your desire to run arise?

In the spring people started taking a closer look at who might be suitable presidential candidates. The first person to put my name into the public forum was former president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, in an interview he gave to the media. I think that was already in April, but after that there was a long period of silence.

I didn't take that initial mention very seriously. Of course, I was happy and touched. It was a big honor that Ilves named me.

Things really gained in momentum when Alar Karis announced in Midsummer that he would not be seeking another term as president.

It was at that time that people started looking at who the candidate options might be, and my name came up then too. After seeing discussions about my possible candidacy appear in the media various times, I decided to call quite a few acquaintances from the various political parties. I asked them whether Estonia really needed more new candidates and how sure they were that agreement could be reached on Ülle Madise's candidacy.

This created the understanding that there was still no certainty over Ülle Madise's candidacy. There are parties that would like to see a woman elected president, but the coalition securing 68 votes will still require work and effort, come what may. It is in this context that my candidacy has emerged.

Which parties did you call?

I've spoken with all of those bigger parties who have not named their presidential candidate. That is to say, the Reform Party, the Social Democrats, and, a little bit, to Eesti 200. I have also spoken with the Center Party leader, at least sufficient to make sure he has my contact details. Isamaa even invited me to appear before its Riigikogu group.

All of those parties know about me, they have my contact details, and, when the time is right, I'm sure they'll get in touch with me.

Of the parties you mentioned, which is closest to your worldview?

My worldview is tricky to pigeonhole. On the one hand, Estonia's political parties tend to be right-leaning compared with the European spectrum. It would probably be more useful to look at me on a progressive-versus-conservative scale — whether the aim is to move things forward or to hold on to the past.

In that respect, my view is that we should move things forward while strongly relying on our values and preserving the traditions which our nation and state are built on. Christian values, which are important to many Isamaa voters, are also important to me.

At the same time, issues related to how the state is organized and to business freedoms align very well with the Reform Party's platform. Actually, Isamaa too is a strong supporter of entrepreneurship. As for the Social Democrats, there are issues which touch on individual freedoms.

My worldview is centrist, leaning slightly more to the right than to the left.

Why should you get to be president?

My life and professional experience would be very well suited to addressing Estonia's current challenges. It is clear that every president reflects their own era and must deal with the issues that matter most to the state and its people at that particular point in time. Looking at where we are today, I believe there are three major themes.

The first is an economy which has lost its momentum; a situation we ourselves are also amplifying thanks to negative expectations and concerns. A strong economy should be the foundation of our nation's survival and security. Restoring economic growth, creating jobs and ensuring people can find work are extremely important to me. People's ability to make ends meet is also a major concern. Job insecurity, youth unemployment – many issues converge here, and I see a need to restore economic strength.

The second I would say is restoring optimism and national pride in Estonia. At the moment, we tend to critically focus too much on our shortcomings. Yet we have so much which can be proud of. At my own initiative, my spouse and I have organized exhibitions of maps illustrating Estonia's cultural history – more than 15 over the past year alone. They bring out Estonia's story, highlighting the richness of our culture and our long history of perseverance. I would like to bring some optimism and pride back into our public discourse, and try to build common ground.

The third thing that is important is our security. This hinges on our own efforts to strengthen it. Once again, a strong economy is needed to ensure we can afford defense spending. At the same time, strong alliances are equally important. We need international recognition, good relations across Europe and especially with neighboring states. When we speak about defense capabilities, France, Germany and Poland are, of course, particularly key.

The president has a very important role to play here, and I have the advantage of having worked abroad for many years, especially in Europe but also in the U.S. In my everyday work, I deal extensively with legislation, finding common ground on complex issues and representing Europe. I work with foreign ambassadors and conduct negotiations, so I naturally know which are the doors which need to be knocked on in Europe. I believe all of this would benefit Estonia.

What personal qualities do you have which would make you a good president?

I am enterprising. Looking back at the start of my career in Estonia, I either founded or helped establish three or four foundations and assisted in building them That kind of work – building up organizations, driving them forward and inspiring people – this comes very naturally to me.

Secondly, it is helpful that I have a very long experience in making decisions in complicated situations, and also listening to different parties and finding common ground in challenging circumstances. In my current work at the European Commission, people representing every political viewpoint are present. Similarly, in Estonia, progress between political parties requires negotiation and, at times, debate. I have this experience.

It is also a help that I enjoy working hard. The office of the president carries great responsibility and requires someone who approaches the role with full energy, leadership and a willingness to take responsibility. It is not an easy position, but it is one through which you can serve the Estonian state and its people.

You said you have met or spoken with representatives of essentially all the major parties except EKRE. What kind of feedback have they given you?

I have not contacted EKRE because they have already nominated their presidential candidate. In my conversations with the leadership of the other parties, the feedback has been that the coalition parties and the Social Democrats hope to secure the necessary votes to nominate Ülle Madise. On the other hand, some people have said that, to their knowledge, Ülle Madise is not fully committed, or may not be interested. The first candidate may not, in fact, end up being the ultimate candidate.

There have also been those who felt that Estonia now needs a woman as president. Their reasoning was that we have lived for several years under the shadow of Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine. People are anxious or weary because of that, and they believe the time has come to start rebuilding a sense of confidence. We should also pay attention to issues beyond war and defense, although those will, of course, remain key.

We also need to focus on how we ensure our country's long-term future and how our families can make ends meet. A woman president's approach could be more supportive and encouraging, bringing new energy and a fresher perspective.

Others have said that the public does not recognize me. That is indeed the case. While I have appeared publicly in Estonia quite frequently, this has been mostly in front of business audiences. I come back to Estonia several times a year to speak at conferences. I am a member of the Tallinn University of Technology supervisory board, and a member of the Prime Minister's Research, Development and Innovation Policy Council.

Among party leaders, many people know me well, though I do not yet have broad public recognition.

Are you not concerned by the perception that is still prevalent in society that women don't make as good leaders as men do?

No, to be honest, that doesn't bother me. This is an outdated prejudice. I believe that people who have worked with me have seen that I am a highly effective leader. I have also been selected for leadership positions many times through various competitive recruitment processes. I have accomplished important work at the European Commission. I'm not just a bench-warmer – I initiate projects, carry them through and build teams. Prejudices must always be taken on, and the best way to do that is by demonstrating through real results exactly what the strengths and opportunities are for a woman president or any woman leader.

How would you rate your level of support among the politicians at present?

That is difficult to assess as I think things are still uncertain. It would be good if the Riigikogu Council of Elders met to discuss the matter among themselves. Going on Ülle Madise's public statements, I have been left with the impression that she is not fully committed. If we look at what Ülle Madise herself has said in the media, she has consistently stated that she has not given her consent to anyone and that she is more inclined to continue in her current and highly respected role as Chancellor of Justice.

I believe I have a great deal to offer. I have both the experience and the motivation, and I believe that could appeal to many members of the Riigikogu.

If Ülle Madise ultimately decides that she also wants to become president, would you view her as your biggest rival?

I have an enormous respect for Ülle Madise, and it seems to me that she has done an outstanding job as Estonia's Chancellor of Justice. If she secures the necessary 68 votes, then we have a candidate who will also get elected by the Riigikogu, and that is how it should be.

And if things turn out differently – if Ülle Madise opts to withdraw or fails to secure enough votes – then someone else will have to step forward as a candidate. I would not hesitate to engage in a discussion with Ülle Madise and debate the issues that are currently the most important challenges facing Estonia, how the president could address them, and what we actually expect from the role of president.

With this, I would not necessarily refer to her as a rival. However, if Ülle Madise wanted to take part in a public debate about Estonia's future, I would certainly be ready.

Until now, you have served as Deputy Director-General for Industry, the Internal Market and Entrepreneurship at the European Commission. From September, however, you will become Deputy Director-General of the Commission's Joint Research Center. Is that a less important position, and is that the reason you now want to run for president?

The timing of these two developments has coincided rather closely, so it may give the impression that there is a causal link. There is not. I began thinking about changing jobs within the European Commission in January or February of this year, as I had been in the same position for a long time. It is common practice in the Commission for senior managers to look for a new role after about five or six years. I have now been in my current post for more than five years.

I started looking at what my next position might be and what would suit and interest me. That is how the idea of the Joint Research Center position emerged. Changing jobs within the European Commission is generally not a rapid process. The Commissioners made their decision on July 7, by which time the presidential race was already well under way.

Estonian society has recently been polarized by two issues. One is the Rannarootsi meat producer's "grilled onion" ad, and the other is the question of what to do with the Nevski Cathedral. Would you buy or boycott Rannarootsi products, and what do you think should be done with the Nevski Cathedral?

With the Rannarootsi part, it is indeed regrettable that they came out with such a tasteless thing. In terms of its content, they are taking advantage of the suffering of the Ukrainian people, putting on certain shirts and then adding such a disparaging attitude in the background too. I feel that we have blown out of proportion the dispute over Rannarootsi's poorly put together and poorly realized advertisement. I am also part of an information group at the European Commission which monitors Russia's misinformation activities and influence operations.

From that perspective, it has become very clear to me that every small misstep or foolish thing we do gets very skilfully picked up by Russian agents and trolls, who then start amplifying it and keeping it alive.

Naturally the Rannarootsi issue was mishandled, and when I have a choice in the shop of what to buy, I will choose something else.

As for the cathedral issue, this is a much bigger thing, and the question of which community it belongs to has been debated for a long time – whether it should be aligned with the Greek side or the Moscow side. The community itself likely needs to take a look at the situation and think about what to do. But when it comes to the building itself, the keys are in the hands of the City of Tallinn, which must rule on whether to continue the agreements or not. The president does not have a role in coming to that decision.

What do you think it says about the current situation that, like you, there are many other non-politicos who want to run for president this time?

I think it demonstrates that we have Riigikogu elections coming up fairly soon, so putting forward candidates from a party is somewhat complicated. Candidates with a strong political background are also finding it difficult to amass sufficient support. In addition, we are facing some very painful choices. We need to increase defense spending, and the government is struggling with where to find the money and how to make cuts. I have highlighted that we need to find a way forward and develop the capacity to grow the economy so that we can also cover our expenses.

Perhaps the other candidates are also trying to highlight certain issues which are currently important. Everyone has their topics which they believe Estonian society needs to address more strongly than ever before.

My advantage is that I am not focused on just the one issue. I can bring together the economy, economic security and foreign policy.

Do you believe you can become president?

I cannot state that today, as much depends on other people and the decisions they make. If I am presented with this opportunity, I will show my best side, in all the debates.

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