Sanna Marin’s popularity has spread far and wide among younger generations, cementing her name as an international superstar. As Finland’s youngest-ever Prime Minister, Marin captivated the media with her charm and unrelenting dedication to progressive principles. Her victory at the polls was impressive, with more than 35,600 votes, the second largest tally of any politician in the election. She was frequently captured on Instagram, posting selfies, jogging, and doing pull-ups in her signature leather jacket. Even outside her home country, she had a positive reputation, became a poster-child of western competence in the face of the conflict at hand, saying “the way out of the (Ukrainian) conflict is for Russia to leave Ukraine”.
However, in this upcoming general election, Marin’s popular stardom fail to clinch victory. Her social democratic party came in third place, whearas the pro-business opposition National Coalition and the anti-immigraiton Finns Party have become the favored alternatives. The increased public spending throughout her cabinet’s tenure as prime minister was met with criticism, and ultimately was not enough to sway the Finnish public.
While she may be heading out of her current Prime Ministerial position, Sanna Marin remains an internationally recognized leader of progressive values and Finnish innovation. Through her determination and passion, she has certainly secured a memorable legacy.
Riikka Purra, the populist leader that topped Sanna Marin’s seat in the upcoming general election, is a similarly inspiring figure. As an entrepreneur and Harvard graduate, she has worked at the intersection of business, government and digital media, leading several companies and taking a special interest in ethical finance. With her winning of the election, she is set to become the first female Prime Minister in Finland. Her success and potential to bring change to the region should be looked forward to with optimism.
