Finland's Sanna Marin, 34, set to become world's youngest prime minister

9 December 2019, 12:38

Sanna Marin is set to become the world's youngest prime minister
Sanna Marin is set to become the world's youngest prime minister. Picture: PA

By Kate Buck

Finland's transport minister is set to become the wold's youngest prime minister when she takes the helm this week.

Sanna Marin, 34, was picked to head up the nation's ruling Social Democratic Party after its leader Antti Rinne stepped down following his handling of a postal strike.

In becoming leader of the country, Ms Marin will become Finland's third female prime minister.

When she is sworn in later this week, Ms Marin will lead a centre-left coalition with four other parties.

All the leaders are women, with three of them aged under 35.

Ms Marin has been the party's vice chairwoman, a lawmaker since 2015 and served until this week as the minister for transport and communications.

Ms Marin pictured after being nominated as prime minister
Ms Marin pictured after being nominated as prime minister. Picture: PA

According to Finland's biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and the Ilta-Sanomat tabloid, Ms Marin will become the world's youngest sitting prime minister.

Currently, the world leaders who are closest in age are New Zealand's Jacinda Arder, who is 39, and Ukraine's Oleksiy Honcharuk, who is 39.

Finland, which has a population of 5.5 million, currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency until the end of the year.

Politicians are likely to approve the appointment of Ms Marin and her new government quickly so she can represent Finland at the December 12-13 EU leaders' summit in Brussels.

Mr Rinne stepped down on Tuesday after a key coalition partner, the Centre Party, withdrew its support, citing lack of trust over the two-week strike by the country's state-owned postal service Posti

It then spread to other industries including the national flag carrier Finnair.

He will however, stay on as leader of the Social Democrats.

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

American Easter egg

White House’s annual Easter egg roll to be attended by 40,000 people

Barbers in Paris

Proposal to ban discrimination over a person’s hair passes first legal hurdle

Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian Authority names new government following pressure to reform

Arvind Kejriwal

Opposition leader Kejriwal locked up for further four days, court rules

Resident clears rubble from home

Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks

Pope Francis

Pope urges priests to avoid ‘clerical hypocrisy’ in Maundy Thursday speech