Finland's Sanna Marin set to become the world’s youngest Prime Minister at 34 - but who has slipped down the list?
A 34-year-old transport minister is set to become Finland’s youngest prime minister ever and its third female government leader.
Finland’s ruling Social Democratic Party council voted 32-29 to name Sanna Marin over rival Antti Lindtman to take over the government’s top post from incumbent Antti Rinne.
Having emerged as Finland’s largest party in the April election, the Social Democrats can appoint one of their own to the post of prime minister in the Nordic nation of 5.5 million.
- Who are the other youngest serving leaders?
According to Finland’s biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and the Ilta-Sanomat tabloid, Ms Marin will become the world’s youngest sitting prime minister.
Ms Marin has pushed a few familiar faces down the list with her appointment.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk
Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk was elected last year and is just a year older than the new Finnish leader.
Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-Un
Kim Jong-Un stepped up to the role of leader after his father Kim Jong-Il died in 2011.
The 36-year-old was given the title of 'The Great Successor' and is only the 3rd Supreme Leader of North Korea.
President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele
Salvadorian politician Nayib Bukele came into office in early 2019, winning over half the votes.
President Bukele is only 38-years-old.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Ardern became New Zealand's 40th Prime Minister when she was elected in 2017 and the country's first prime minister to be pregnant in office.
The 39 year-old is currently the 5th youngest leader sitting in office.
- What do we know about Sanna Marin?
Ms Marin has been the Social Democrats' vice chairwoman, a lawmaker since 2015 and served until this week as the minister for transport and communications.
As Finland 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.
Mr Rinne’s has been criticised for his leadership skills prior to a nationwide two-week strike by the state-owned postal service Posti.
The strikes spread to other industries, including the national flag carrier Finnair.
Mr Rinne’s resignation prompted the formal resignation of a coalition of the Social Democrats and the Centre Party and three junior partners: the Greens, the Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland.
The Social Democrats and the four other coalition parties said they are committed to the government programme agreed upon after the April election and will continue in Ms Marin’s new government.
The new government will still have a comfortable majority of 117 seats at the 200-seat Eduskunta (parliament).
The Social Democrats said they are seeking to have Mr Rinne, a former trade union leader, become the parliament’s vice speaker.
He also plans to stay on as the Social Democrats’ chairman until a party congress next summer.