Olari Lippmaa
Olari Lippmaa | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lippmaa in 2019 | |
| Member of the Folkssenaat | |
| Assumed office 17 September 2018 | |
| Constituency | Lanekirik |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 October 1975 Seitse Sammu, Kirenia |
| Nationality | Alslandic / Kirenian |
| Political party | Martish Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | University of Seitse Sammu |
| Website | Folkssenaat page |
Olari Lippmaa (born 14 October 1975) is an Alslandic and Kirenian politician and diplomat who has been a Member of the Folkssenaat since 2018 and prior to this a diplomat at the Kirenian consulate in Rahu.
Early life
Lippmaa was born in Seitse Sammu, Kirenia. After graduating from high school in Seitse Sammu in 1993 Lippmaa studied international relations at the University of Seitse Sammu from 1993 until 1996. He then briefly worked for the Community of Nations in Kesselbourg before working for the Kirenian consulate in Rahu as a science and visa officer. Lippmaa and his wife both moved to Rahu permanently in 2004 and applied for Alslandic citizenship in 2005. He worked as a manager for insurance company in Rahu between 2004 and 2018.
Political career
Lippmaa was elected to the Martish Democratic Party's governing board in 2015, he had joined the party in 2007 and had been an important donor to the party. He was a MDP candidate for the 2018 Martish general election but was unsuccessful. He was later selected to lead the party's list in Lanekirik for the federal 2018 general election. During the campaign he appeared in a debate between federal party leaders after the MDP's leader had fallen ill the prior day. He was successful in his campaign and was elected to the Folkssenaat.
Member of the Folkssenaat
Lippmaa was sworn in on 17 September 2018. He attended coalition negotiations between the MDP and the incumbent coalition, whilst unsuccessful the talks widened Lippmaa's public image.
In 2019 Lippmaa was questioned by Kirenian border officials after flying from Yndyk to Seitse Sammu to visit his family. He claims the questioning was due to his status as a member of the Folkssenaat and a Kirenian immigrant.
Lippmaa voted for the 2021 Security and combatting terrorism bill proposed by Ottila Möller's government. During the debate he read out the names of each victim of the 2021 Yndyk train bombing and attended various meetings between victims families and politicians.
Prior to the 2022 Alslandic legislative election, Lippmaa called for a coalition of centrist and right-wing parties to prevent a Green - Alternative Choice led government or a government involving ASAY or the Workers Party - Left List. He was criticised for supporting an end to the cordon sanitaire on Team Oosterbaan. Despite this Lippmaa's call for a coalition between centrist and right-wing parties was welcomed by the leaders of the Orange Party, Team Oosterbaan and Countryside and Agrarian Party.
He is a member of the Folkssenaat's committee on Foreign Affairs and became the committee's vice-chair in 2021.
Political views
Lippmaa is a self described classical liberal. According to himself he was an ardent councilist in his youth but his views changed in University. Lippmaa has been critical of other centre-right politicians across Euclea including Otto von Hößlin and Reginald Wilton-Smyth. He called Wilton-Smyth's defeat in the 2021 Estmerish general election "entirely deserved" and accused Wilton-Smyth of appealing to the far-right and the Tribune Movement.
Personal life
Lippmaa can only speak Kirenian, he claims to have been proficient in Gaullican although he says he has forgotten the language. He is married and has 3 children.