Mari Kiviniemi
Who was Mari Kiviniemi?
Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2011 and later as Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD. She was the second female Prime Minister in Finnish history.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Mari Kiviniemi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Mari Johanna Kiviniemi was born on September 27, 1968, in Seinäjoki, Finland. She studied at the University of Helsinki, building the academic foundation for her later political career. She joined the Centre Party of Finland, a major political party, and gradually advanced within its ranks during the 1990s and 2000s.
Before Fame
Growing up in Seinäjoki, a city in the Ostrobothnia region known for its Finnish cultural and political life, Kiviniemi matured during a time of significant change in Finland. The country was figuring out its direction after the Cold War and joined the European Union in 1995. A new wave of politicians was emerging from universities, with European and reformist views. Kiviniemi's time at the University of Helsinki put her in the middle of Finnish intellectual and political discussions. Her early work with the Centre Party gave her practical experience in the coalition-focused world of Finnish parliamentary politics.
Key Achievements
- Served as the 41st Prime Minister of Finland from 2010 to 2011, the second woman to hold the position in Finnish history
- Appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD in August 2014, representing Finland at a senior level in international economic policy
- Awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2015
- Received the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2006
- Rose to leadership of the Centre Party of Finland during a period of significant domestic and European political change
Did You Know?
- 01.Kiviniemi became Prime Minister on 22 June 2010 after Matti Vanhanen resigned, making her only the second woman ever to hold that office in Finnish history.
- 02.She was awarded the Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2003, followed by promotion to Commander of the same order just three years later in 2006.
- 03.In 2015, Germany recognised her contributions to international relations by awarding her the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- 04.She assumed the role of Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD on 25 August 2014, transitioning from domestic Finnish politics to a prominent position in international economic governance.
- 05.Her tenure as Prime Minister lasted less than a year, from June 2010 to April 2011, following the Centre Party's defeat in the April 2011 parliamentary elections.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany | 2015 | — |
| Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland | 2006 | — |
| Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland | 2003 | — |