Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who is set to leave office after her party’s defeat in the recent general election, has announced her divorce from her husband Markus Raikkonen. Taking to Instagram, Marin expressed gratitude for their 19 years together and their shared love for their five-year-old daughter.
Marin and Raikkonen tied the knot in 2020, during her tenure as the country’s leader amidst the pandemic. In her Instagram post, she emphasized that despite the divorce, they remain best friends and will continue to spend time together as a family.
At the age of 37, Sanna Marin made history in 2019 as the world’s youngest prime minister. However, her center-left party faced a narrow loss in the general election last month. Despite her own party’s increase in seats and securing 19.9% of the vote, her coalition partners experienced significant seat losses, leading to her government’s resignation.
While in office, Marin enjoyed high approval ratings, being lauded for her leadership during Finland’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and for steering the country toward NATO. Nevertheless, she has also faced polarizing scrutiny, including criticism of her personal life. Last year, a video circulated on social media showing Marin singing, dancing, and enjoying herself at a party. The incident drew complaints suggesting that her behavior undermined Finland’s reputation and security. However, Marin voluntarily took a drug test, which came back negative, and was subsequently cleared of misconduct by parliament.
Despite the challenges and criticism, Marin has garnered support from many women in Finland. The incident at the party prompted a solidarity movement, with women sharing videos of themselves dancing on social media in support of the prime minister.
As Finland’s political transition unfolds, Marin’s government will continue to serve on a caretaker basis until a new government is formed and appointed. Negotiations are expected to conclude by June, with Marin’s political rivals, Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition Party and Riikka Purra of the right-wing populist Finns Party, leading the way.
The divorce announcement adds a personal element to Marin’s transition out of office, marking the end of her political era as she navigates the challenges of balancing personal and professional life.