https://img.rasset.ie/00133251-500.jpg — Sanna Marin began politics in 2012 when she was elected to the city council in her hometown of Tampere

The 9 youngest leaders in the world

09 Dec 2019, 17:14

Finland's Sanna Marin, 34, will be the world's youngest prime minister in office when she is sworn in tomorrow.

Here are the nine youngest leaders serving in the world today:

1. Ukraine: Lawyer Oleksiy Goncharuk was named prime minister in August 2019, aged 35, by President Volodymyr Zelensky, himself only 41.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133248-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Oleksiy Goncharuk was named Ukraine prime minister earlier this year

2. Salvador: Conservative businessman Nayib Bukele was sworn in as president in June 2019 aged 37.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133243-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Nayib Bukele is the 46th president of Salvador

3. Andorra: Former justice minister Xavier Espot Zamora became the head of government of the small territory between France and Spain in May 2019 aged 39.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133241-614.jpg?ratio=1.77 — French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Andorra's Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora (R) both became leaders aged 39

4. Costa Rica: Carlos Alvarado, a journalist and former labour minister, won elections to became president in May 2018 aged 38.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133240-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Carlos Alvarado was first elected as a Chilean MP in 2014

5. New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern was 37 years old when she was sworn in as prime minister in October 2017.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133245-614.jpg?ratio=1.77 — Jacinda Ardern is the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand

6. Ireland: Leo Varadkar became Ireland's youngest Taoiseach in June 2017 when he was aged 38.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133247-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Leo Varadkar was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 2007

7. France: At the age of 39, one-time investment banker Emmanuel Macron became France's youngest president in May 2017.

8. Estonia: Centrist Juri Ratas was named prime minister in November 2016 aged 38. He took over from Taavi Roivas, who was 34 when he took office in 2014.

https://img.rasset.ie/00133244-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Juri Ratas also served as mayor of Estonia's capital, Tallinn, from 2005 to 2007

9. Malta: Prime Minister Joseph Muscat took power in March 2013 at 39 years old.

https://img.rasset.ie/0013324c-614.jpg?ratio=1.78 — Joseph Muscat was previously a member of the European parliament from 2004-2008

Excluding democratic governments, other notable young leaders include North Korea's Kim Jong Un, 35, and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, 39. Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, today aged 39, took power in 2006 when he was just 26.