Tõnis Lukas

Tonis Lukas ( born June 5, 1962 in Tallinn) is an Estonian politician.

Early years

Tonis Lukas in 1980 the Gustav Adolf Gymnasium from Tallinn (then 1 Tallinn Secondary School ). He attended a vocational school for auto mechanics. From 1981 to 1987, he studied history at the University of Tartu. From 1987 to 1989 he was employed as a teacher in Rõngu. 1989 to 1992, he returned to the University of Tartu as a lecturer in history.

Entry into politics

From 1988 Tonis Lukas was politically active against the Soviet occupation forces. He called for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Estonia, the restoration of Estonia's independence and argued for human rights, democracy and market economy. He is best known as the organizer of the opposition " Tartu days of preservation ." He became a member of the Christian Democratic Party Isamaaliit ( Homeland Union ) in 1992 and moved into the city council of Tartu.

Politician

From 1992 to 1995 Tonis Lukas was head of the Estonian National Museum ( Eesti Rahva Muuseum ) in Tartu. In 1995 he was first elected to the Estonian Parliament ( Riigikogu ). 1996/97 was Luke Mayor of Tartu, then from 1999 to 2002 Estonian Minister of Education in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mart Laar. From 2002 to 2007 he was again a deputy in the Estonian Parliament. In April 2005 he was elected to succeed Tunne Kelam party chairman of Isamaaliit.

From April 2007 to April 2011 Tonis Lukas was Minister of Education and Research in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip. In the 2011 general election he was elected as an MP in the Riigikogu.

Tonis Lukas belongs to the center-right party Isamaa yes Res Publica Liit to. In May 2007, he was elected one of the two leaders.

Private life

Tonis Lukas is married to German literature and literary scholar Liina Lukas, who teaches at the University of Tartu. The couple has three children.