Kadri Simson

{{Expand language |langcode=et |otherarticle=Kadri Simson |langcode2=fr |otherarticle2=Kadri Simson }}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kadri Simson

| image = Kadri Simson at EU2024BE 15 May 2024 Informal meeting of Energy Ministers (cropped).jpg

| caption = Simson in 2024

| office = European Commissioner for Energy

| president = Ursula von der Leyen

| status =

| term_start = 1 December 2019

| term_end = 30 November 2024

| predecessor = Miguel Arias Cañete

| successor = Dan Jørgensen

| office1 = Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure

| primeminister1 = Jüri Ratas

| term_start1 = 23 November 2016

| term_end1 = 29 April 2019

| predecessor1 = Kristen Michal

| successor1 = Taavi Aas

| birth_name = Kadri Must

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|1|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tartu, Estonia

| party = Centre Party

| otherparty =

| education = University of Tartu
University College London

| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Message by Kadri Simson, European Commissioner, on the occasion of the 6th ENSREG Conference (I-225910).ogg|title=Kadri Simson's voice|type=speech|description=Speech delivered by Simson to the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group Conference
Recorded 30 May 2022}}

}}

Kadri Simson (née Must, born 22 January 1977) is an Estonian politician, formerly from the Centre Party, who served as the European Commissioner for Energy in the von der Leyen Commission between 2019 and 2024.

Early life

Simson graduated from Tartu 10th Middle School in 1995, Tartu University in 2000, (majoring in history).{{Cite web|title=Kadri Simsoni CV Riigikogu kodulehel|url=https://www.riigikogu.ee/riigikogu/koosseis/riigikogu-liikmed/saadik/382d928f-8fa4-422b-9538-043ff3033b65/Kadri-Simson|url-status=dead|website=Riigikogu|language=et|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723081440/https://www.riigikogu.ee/riigikogu/koosseis/riigikogu-liikmed/saadik/382d928f-8fa4-422b-9538-043ff3033b65/Kadri-Simson|archive-date=23 July 2019|access-date=2 April 2024}} She holds an MA in Political Science from University College London (2003).{{Cite news|first=Priit|last=Pullerits|title=Aukardetud Kadri Must|url=https://www.postimees.ee/1470081/aukardetud-kadri-must|website=Post Times|date=16 April 2005|language=et}} Simson was a board member of the NGO Institute of Recent Studies.{{Cite news|title=Kalju Laidi sahinad: Niks-naks, Sõõrumaa!|url=https://ekspress.delfi.ee/artikkel/78929840/kalju-laidi-sahinad-niks-naks-soorumaa|website=Eesti Ekspress|date=25 July 2017}}

Political career

Simson was a member of the Estonian Centre Party from 1995 to 2024. She worked as an advisor to the Tallinn City Government in 1999, later Tallinn Mayor between 2001 and 2002.{{Cite web|title=Kadri Simson Biography|url=https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/kadri-simson_en#biography|website=European Commission|access-date=2 April 2024}} Simson served as chairwoman of the Pärnumaa region from 2011 until 2021.{{Cite news|first=Marko|last=Tooming|title=Andrei Korobeinik on Keskerakonna kandidaat Pärnu linnapeaks|url=https://www.err.ee/1608223057/andrei-korobeinik-on-keskerakonna-kandidaat-parnu-linnapeaks|website=ERR|date=24 May 2021|language=et}}

In 2015, Simson failed to beat party leader Edgar Savisaar for his role after an almost uninterrupted 25-year tenure. Savisaar won the vote of 541 delegates, to Simson's 486, from a total of 1,051.{{Cite web|title=Savisaar beats Simson in party leadership race|url=http://news.err.ee/v/d0490c74-d28b-4f64-a091-2d85985e2f04|website=ERR|date=30 November 2015|access-date=29 December 2015}}

In December 2024, Simson announced that she would be leaving the Centre Party.[https://news.err.ee/1609563755/former-eu-commissioner-leaves-center-party ERR News. Former EU commissioner leaves Center Party.] Retrieved 31 December 2024.

Personal life

Between 6 June 2008 and February 2015, Simson was married to journalist Priit Simson.{{Cite news|first=Merje|last=Merdik|title=Kadri ja Priit Simson lahutavad abielu: oleme teineteisele tänulikud paljude ilusate hetkede eest|url=https://kroonika.delfi.ee/artikkel/70876221/kadri-ja-priit-simson-lahutavad-abielu-oleme-teineteisele-tanulikud-paljude-ilusate-hetkede-eest|website=Kroonika|date=25 February 2015|language=et}} Afterwards, she began a relationship with former chairman of HKScan Estonia, Teet Soorm.{{Cite news|first=Denes|last=Kattago|title=Kadri Simson: Teet Soorm on väga hea mees, kui pean valima, valin töö asemel lähedased (133)|url=https://www.ohtuleht.ee/843517/kadri-simson-teet-soorm-on-vaga-hea-mees-kui-pean-valima-valin-too-asemel-lahedased|website=Õhtuleht|date=30 November 2017|language=et}}