Finland elections test for young PM, Social Democrat leader

Finland holds local elections Sunday in a first litmus test for the popular young Social Democratic prime minister, Sanna Marin, who took office a mere 18 months ago shortly before the outbreak of COVID-19

HELSINKI -- Finland holds local elections Sunday in a first litmus test for the popular young Social Democratic prime minister, Sanna Marin, who took office a mere 18 months ago shortly before the outbreak of COVID-19 and whose party is behind in polls across the Nordic country. The 35-year-old Marin, who became Europe’s youngest government leader in December 2019, enjoys high personal popularity and has won international praise for her handling of the coronavirus crisis in the nation of 5.5 million. However, the result of Sunday's municipal elections — the first for Marin as leader of both the government and the Social Democratic Party — may end up being a disappointment to her. Despite her popularity, the Social Democrats have failed to attract young voters in particular. Two opposition parties, the conservative National Coalition Party and the populist Finns Party, are in the lead in the polls.