PM Sanna Marin Elected As Leader Of Finland's Social Democratic Party

Sanna Marin, the world’s youngest Prime Minister at 34, has been elected as the leader of Finland's Social Democratic Party (SDP). She was unanimously elected, thus making history by becoming the second woman chairperson of the party. Jutta Urpilainen, Finland's former Finance Minister was the first woman to lead the SDP.

The polls were taken at the 46th Social Democratic convention in Tampere, Finland. Thanking the party members for electing her, Marin said, “Thank you for your trust, I will try to be worth it. Life cannot be planned in advance and it must be taken as it is. Every situation has to be faced and one has to do one’s best regardless of the circumstances,” ABC News reported.

What You Should Know

• Finland’s PM Sanna Marin is the second female chairperson in the Social Democratic Party.
• She replaces Antti Rinne, who has been leading SDP since 2014.
• Marin, 34, is Finland’s youngest-ever prime minister.

Marin will replace Antti Rinne, who has been leading the party since 2014. He had resigned as Finland's Prime Minister in December.

Also Read: Sanna Marin, World's Youngest PM, Is A Daughter Of Same Sex Parents

This year, Marin, an MP since 2015, has been busy dealing with unemployment, especially in the time of the pandemic. She has earned praise for containing the coronavirus outbreak in Finland which has had only 334 confirmed deaths so far.

"I want to build a society where every child can become anything and every person can live and grow in dignity," Marin had said in a post, highlighting the progress that needed to be made at the top level of Finnish politics.

Marin comes from a ‘rainbow family’

Marin was raised by her biological mother and her female partner. In 2015, she told Menaiset that she felt “invisible” as a child because she couldn’t talk openly about her lesbian parents. “The silence was the hardest,” she said. “Invisibility caused a feeling of incompetence. We were not recognised as a true family or equal with others. But I wasn’t much bullied. Even when I was little, I was very candid and stubborn. I wouldn’t have taken anything easy.”

Talking about getting into politics, she added, “When I was in high school, I felt that the people who make politics are quite different and come from different backgrounds than I am. At that time, I didn’t think it was possible to get involved myself.”

Also Read: Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin Gets Married Secretly Amid the Pandemic

Earlier this month, Marin, who is an advocate for environmental issues and women’s rights, got married to her longtime boyfriend and former Finnish soccer player, Markus Raikkonen. The couple has a two-year-old daughter.

Feature Image Credit: Telangana Today

Read More Stories By Ria Das