Prior to becoming the Minister of Defence of Estonia, Kalle Laanet was a member of the Parliament of Estonia, Riigikogu, from 2007 to 2021. In Riigikogu he held several offices: Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Security Authorities Surveillance Select Committee, Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee. Prior to becoming a member of parliament, Laanet served as the Minister of the Interior from 2005 to 2007. Before going into politics, Laanet worked in the Estonian police force. Laanet received the 3rd Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle in 2006 for his services in the field of national defence.