World’s youngest PM to lead Finland

Finland’s next government is breaking the mold in multiple ways. Sanna Marin, the 34-year-old Transport minister, was tapped over the weekend by the ruling Social Democratic Party to be Finland’s new prime minister.

When she takes the reins of the country, most likely on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), she will become the world’s youngest sitting head of government. In another unusual development, Marin will head a coalition with four other parties that are all led by women — three of whom are in their early 30s.

Her own biography also breaks the mold: Raised by a single mother, she has described feeling discriminated against in Finland when her mother was in a relationship with another woman.

Elina Penttinen, a lecturer in gender studies at the University of Helsinski, said the rise of so many women is “exceptional” not only by the standards of the wider world, where older men hold most power, but even by the standards of Finland, which regularly ranks as one of the best countries in the world for gender equality.

“Here it seems pretty amazing, too,” she said. The Social Democrats emerged as the strongest party after

Sanna Marin of Finland’s Social Democrats is all set to become the world’s youngest prime minister when she assumes the post today, December 11. Marin narrowly won to replace outgoing leader Antti Rinne. Finland’s election in April.

Antti Rinne, the incumbent prime minister whom Marin is replacing, stepped down last week amid political turmoil caused by a strike of postal workers. Rinne says he plans to continue as the Social Democrats’ leader until a party congress next summer.

Penttinen described Marin as a talented politician known for her leadership skills whose progressive program stresses combating climate change, protecting the country’s famous social protections like health care and reaching out to young people.

Finland, like much of the West, has seen a rise in right-wing populists and the nationalist Finns Party did well in April election, though centrist and left-wing parties won most votes and together could govern in the multiparty coalition.