For someone who never thought a political career was possible, Sanna Marin has achieved a lot.
At 34, she marked her name in history as the youngest prime minister in the world, when she became Finland’s leader in 2019.
“I come from quite a humble background and politics looked like old men in grey suits, something that was really far from the reality that I came from,” Marin told 60 Minutes.
Marin says her upbringing in a “rainbow family” influenced her politics. (Nine)
“So my life and my career has been full of surprises and I didn’t think that I would end up here.”
The now 40-year-old made the top job look easy but her path to PM was anything but.
She was raised by her mum, who separated from her dad – an alcoholic – when Marin was a baby.
“After my mother left my father, some years later, she realised that she had been falling in love with a woman, and after that, I was raised in a rainbow family,” Marin said.
“That’s why also I wanted to commit my life to boosting human rights, gender equality and equality of minorities because I feel that we have to respect every individual, wherever they come from, or whoever they love.”
Those values are what drew Marin to politics when she was at university.
She entered parliament at 27 and became the leader of the Social Democratic Party just five years later.
She wishes her rapid rise to the top wasn’t so rare in politics.
“Gender shouldn’t matter, but it still matters, and that’s why we need to support women.” (Nine)
“I have very complex and mixed feelings about the wording, ‘female leader’,” she said.
“Gender shouldn’t matter, but it still matters, and that’s why we need to support women.”
Being one of the world’s only “female leaders” was always going to bring a lot of attention to Marin.
But the interest in her private life was difficult to manage, especially when a video of the prime minister dancing at a private party was leaked online.
“I didn’t apologise for that because I don’t think that there was anything to apologise for,” she said.
“I believe that women in all positions, they are also entitled to have a private life and free time, and they can have fun, and that doesn’t undermine their credibility at work.”
A video of Marin partying made global headlines in 2022. (Nine)
Even though Marin was off duty at the time of the party, the video caused so many headaches for her government, she felt she had to face it head on, and held a tearful press conference.
“Of course, I felt frustrated, I felt tired, and I felt also that it was unfair,” she said.
The reality was, Marin had much bigger problems coming across her desk.
About two years into her prime ministership, Russia – which shares a long border with Finland – invaded Ukraine.
“I remember that everybody was so shocked, extremely sad that in Europe we had, again, a situation where we are in active war,” she said.
Almost four years on, the war continues.
US President Donald Trump has tried, as recently as this week, to negotiate a peace deal.
But so far, his conditions have called for too much compromise from Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who won’t give up any territory.
Finland shares a border with Russia. (Nine)
“I think President Trump could do a lot to force Putin, but the target should be Putin,” Marin said.
“Pressuring Europe and pressuring Ukraine won’t end this war, because the problem is Putin.”
Marin found herself under a lot of pressure, trying to lead a country with war on its doorstep.
For decades, Finland’s military had remained neutral. But it was time to pick a side.
She says it was an obvious decision to stand against Russia, and help usher her country into NATO.
It was a busy time for the young leader, who was also a young mum, to daughter Emma.
Like many parents, she was not immune from a childcare crisis – even on the day Zelenskyy was coming to visit.
“When we had that bilateral meeting with Zelensky, at that time, Emma was wandering around the Presidential Castle and picked a flower somewhere in the flower pots. And then, when she met Zelensky, Emma gave him the flower that she had picked, and I think it was a really sweet moment,” she said.
“I was also a parent as a prime minister. Of course, in that job, the job always comes first.”
Marin’s not afraid to admit that meant her family often had to come second.
After more than a decade together, Marin married Markus Räikkönen, less than a year after she took office.
They thought they were prepared for the impact her huge job would have, but they ended up learning a hard lesson.
“Being a prime minister or a leader, it is extremely hard. It is also very lonely, ’cause you’re working constantly. So yes, the job did drain my marriage, and we divorced. We’ve been together for a long time, 19 years, and it was a hard decision. But we are still very good friends,” she said.
“I didn’t think starting that job as prime minister, that it would end, personally, this way. And I did close myself, not only from my husband, but also other close people, and I felt quite alone doing that job.”
The break-up was also tough on the couple’s little girl, Emma.
Marin and baby Emma at work. (Nine)
She was one of the main reasons Marin decided to walk away from politics when her government lost power in 2023.
“She has said so many times after my term in office, ‘Mum, I’m so glad that you are not the prime minister anymore!’ So that’s the feedback, so I know I did make the right decision,” Marin said.
She has written a book, Hope in Action, and is now working with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, advising political leaders on issues that matter most to her, like climate and gender.
Her job today doesn’t come with the power of PM, but that’s not to say the famous Finn is out of the game for good.
“Maybe in the future, I will still, again, run for office, so I won’t close that door permanently,” she said.
“But at this moment, I’m happy where I am.”
Watch the full episode of 60 Minutes on 9Now.
