Ms Marin, who has served as prime minister since December 2019, said she was proud of the government’s accomplishments during her tenure and thanked her colleagues in the Cabinet for their efforts. She also expressed gratitude to Finns for supporting her government throughout its term. Despite being Europe’s youngest leader, Ms Marin led Finland through a difficult period of economic disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic while maintaining public trust in democracy and boosting support for sustainable development goals.
During her time at the helm, Ms Marin championed gender equality policies, setting an example with an all-female Cabinet that included five other women from different political parties alongside herself as prime minister – a first in European history. Finland’s main conservative party won the election, with right-wing populists coming in second and the Social Democratic Party in third. Prime Minister Marin, who is highly popular, acknowledged that her premiership had strained her personally.
The result is a major setback for Ms Marin, who had been widely regarded as the country’s most popular leader and one of its most successful politicians in recent history. It also sends shockwaves through Finland’s political establishment, with right-wing parties gaining ground on the back of anti-immigrant rhetoric and promises to tackle rising unemployment. Ms Marin said her government has managed to stabilize the economy and put Finland on a route of sustainable growth.
She underlined that, despite the economic headwinds, Finland is still ranked among the best countries regarding living standards, education and innovation. Ms Marin also highlighted how her government successfully launched a global initiative for green energy transition through renewable sources such as wind and solar power. Ms Marin has been praised for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, her work on Finland’s NATO bid, and her support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Ms Marin looks forward to a new future and will focus on taking care of herself and her family once the resigned Cabinet is complete. She also noted that she is interested in “other forms of public service” but did not elaborate on what those might be. Ms Marin’s term as prime minister was notable for her focus on climate change, gender equality, and social issues such as poverty reduction and LGBT rights. Her leadership style was praised by many across Finland, with many calling her a breath of fresh air in Finnish politics.
The Center Party has also indicated they would be willing to participate in the new government. The Social Democrats are open to joining the new government, but their party congress won’t make a final decision until September. The party’s leader, Ms Marin, has ruled herself out for a ministerial post.