34-Year Old Woman To Become Prime Minister Of Finland

Sanna Marin, 34, has been nominated to become the prime minister of Finland.

This was disclosed on Monday by the nation’s left-wing Social Democrat, which also heads a five-party coalition government.

Sanna, who served as the country’s minister of transport and communications, was chosen on Sunday by party officials.

In her response, the new leader said her government has a lot to do to gain the trust of the citizens.

“I have never thought about my age or gender, I think of the reasons I got into politics and those things for which we have won the trust of the electorate,” she said.

Her appointment will bring her into the class of world’s young leaders, joining New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (39), Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk (35) and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (35).

Reuters reports that Marin will also have a finance minister two years her junior in a new women-led coalition cabinet after a political shake-up, party officials said on Monday.

Recall that for more than two weeks, workers had gone on strike at Finland’s state postal service, Posti, the national airline, Finnair (FIA1S.HE), and at other industries.

This led the former Prime Minister of Finland, Antti Rinne, to resign from office.

He stepped down after the chairperson of the ruling coalition (the Centre Party), Katri Kulmuni, accused him of not been able to effectively lead the country.

Reuters also states that the new cabinet will take over in the middle of a wave of strikes, which will halt production at some of Finland’s largest companies from Monday.

The Confederation of Finnish Industries estimates the strikes will cost the companies a combined 500 million euros ($550 million) in lost revenue, reuters said.