113/114), the Government of the Republic consisted of the riigivanem (State Elder) and Ministers (Section 58).
The responsibilities of the State Elder were representing the Republic of Estonia, administration and co-ordination of the activities of the Government of the Republic, chairing the Government meetings; the State Elder had the right to make inquiries about the activities of the Ministers (Section 62).
The 1920 constitution was radically parliamentarian in character, and the State Elder could be voted out of office at any time.
With the 1934 constitution, the institution saw a reform and it became the equivalent of a president only as a separate head of government was to be elected.
The 1934 coup by Konstantin Päts resulted in the institution never coming to real life as he ruled as the Prime Minister in Duties of the State Elder until 1937.