He served as the last Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR from April 8, 1983 to March 29, 1990, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR (from May 8, 1990: Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia) from March 29, 1990 to October 6, 1992 and was the third President of the Republic of Estonia from October 8, 2001 to October 9, 2006. 