The surprising news comes just weeks after Marin’s centre-left party lost the general election in a tight race against rival parties.
Marin and her former husband Markus Raikkonen have reportedly been together for nearly 20 years, although they only married in 2020. They tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in August of that year, when Marin was in office leading the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The wedding was held at the Prime Minister's official residence, Kesäranta. The couple have a 5-year-old daughter together, named Emma Amalia Marin.
Markus Raikkonen, also 37, is a former professional footballer for Finnish football club Tampereen Pallo-Veikot (TPV). He is now a businessman, working within the communications industry, although according to media reports he recently worked at a venture capital firm.
Commenting on the split on a story posted on her Instagram account, Sanna Marin said
"Together we've filed for divorce. We're grateful for the 19 years together and for our beloved daughter,"
"We have lived our youth together, entered adulthood together and grown into parents for our dear daughter together,"
"We're still best friends, close to each other and loving parents. Going forward we will still spend time together as a family and with each other. We wish you will respect our privacy. We won't comment further on this.”
No details have been released to the media or the public about the reason for the split, or about how the couple will split their finances or co-parent their daughter. It is clear the pair want privacy as they navigate the divorce, despite Marin’s announcement of the separation on her Instagram account.
When she took office back in 2019, the politician officially became the world’s youngest prime minister. Marin was lauded for her handling of the coronavirus crisis and is also considered a role model across the world as a progressive and inspirational young leader.
However, Marin is now in the process of leaving office. Just a month or so ago, the now 37-year-old failed to win a second term as leader of Finland. Marin managed to secure nearly 20% of the vote and increased the number of her party’s seats. However, her Social Democratic Party trailed behind both the nationalist Finns Party and the right-wing National Coalition Party.
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