Finland’s former Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who narrowly lost an election in April, resigned as chair of the centre-left Social Democrats on Friday. Marin’s decision to step down was motivated by her desire to shift the focus away from her personal life, following a tumultuous four-year tenure. At the age of 34, Marin became the world’s youngest prime minister in 2019, garnering global attention and boosting Finland’s reputation.
During her tenure, Marin guided the country through COVID-19 lockdowns and the subsequent economic fallout. She also voiced strong support for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion and successfully advocated for Finland to end its military non-alignment and join NATO.
On Friday, Marin presided over her party’s conference for the final time and used her brief speech to reiterate her criticism of Russia. She stressed the need to hold Russia accountable for its illegal aggression, war crimes, and the consequences of war. Furthermore, Marin emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and its reconstruction efforts, as well as its vision for a European future.
Marin, now 37, has gained international acclaim and admiration. She has been featured on the covers of Vogue and Time Magazine, boasts a million followers on Instagram, and is viewed as a millennial inspiration for progressive leadership around the world.
However, domestically, voters expressed concerns about issues such as immigration and the growing public deficit. As a result, Marin narrowly lost the election in April to the right wing National Coalition and the far-right Finns party, leading to the fall of the government.
Throughout her time in office, Marin weathered various controversies, including her attendance at nightclubs during the pandemic, hosting private parties at her official residence, and voluntarily undergoing a drug test after a leaked party video. Marin announced that the drug test yielded negative results and apologized to the Finnish public when a picture emerged of two well-known influencers covering their bare breasts with a “Finland” sign at a party held at the prime minister’s seaside residence.
Following her election loss, Marin expressed her anticipation for a quieter life and later announced her divorce from her husband. On Friday, as she took the stage to the beat of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Marin expressed gratitude to her party for their support. Later that day, she was scheduled to formally hand over leadership to the newly elected chair of the Social Democrats.
Marin will continue serving as a member of parliament and has also joined a US agency as a public speaker. Additionally, she has founded a consultancy firm with her former assistant.
(Reporting by Essi Lehto; Editing by Terje Solsvik and Frances Kerry)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
