Mari Kiviniemi – Finland’s new Prime Minister
Lehtikuva / Heikki Saukkomaa Mari Kiviniemi was elected as the chairwoman of the Centre party of Finland last weekend in Lahti.Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi has been elected as the chairwoman of Finland's biggest political party, the Centre party of Finland. Practically speaking, the election means that from this week until the 2011 parliamentary elections Kiviniemi will also serve as the Prime Minister of Finland.
Kiviniemi is 41 years old Master of Political Science and a mother of two. She was appointed as the Minister of Public Administration and Local Government in the Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's government. She was elected as a member of parliament for first time in 1995.
The brand new prime minister comes from Jalasjärvi, Southern Ostrobothnia, but has lived in Helsinki for several years. Mari Kiviniemi will be Finland's second female prime minister of all time.
Matti Vanhanen announced his resignation from the posts as the chairman of the Centre Party and Prime Minister of Finland already in the winter. The Centre Party's leadership battle between Kiviniemi and the Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen was extremely tight. In the final vote Kiviniemi scored approximately 55 per cent of all the votes.
According to recent opinion polls it appears that the Centre Party is losing its position as Finland's largest party. The support has been jolted for instance by ambiguities regarding election funding. The Centre Party aspires for new success under the leadership of Kiviniemi.
The content of the Finnish governmental politics is not expected to be affected by the changeover of prime ministers. Only nuances or rhetorical tones may acquire different emphases. In her keynote speech the new Prime Minister offered the parliamentary opposition an opportunity to join the contemplation over ways of freeing Finland from the recession, and bringing the Finnish economy into a new upswing.
