Finland appoints second woman PM

Finland's President yesterday appointed Mari Kiviniemi the Nordic country's second woman Prime Minister following the resignation last week of second-term premier Matti Vanhanen.

The 41-year-old Kiviniemi was given the green light after Parliament voted for her and President Tarja Halonen formally dissolved scandal-hit Mr Vanhanen's second government, which has been in power since 2007.

"I have to say, I am extremely happy," Ms Kiviniemi was quoted as saying by the Finnish news agency STT as she left the parliamentary chamber after the ballot.

Women now hold the two top posts in Finland for the second time in the country's history as Ms Halonen continues her second presidential term.

Ms Kiviniemi is seen as a clean-living, capable politician who was the obvious choice to replace the embattled Mr Vanhanen as Centre Party leader, but faces criticism for her cool style and lack of charisma.

A total of 115 of Finland's 200 parliamentary members voted in favour of Ms Kiviniemi's appointment, while 56 legislators with the left-leaning opposition voted against.

The opposition had called for early elections after Mr Vanhanen tendered his resignation on Friday as head of a four-party coalition.

Mr Vanhanen was among the first to congratulate a smiling Ms Kiviniemi after the vote, followed by Ms Kiviniemi's beaming parents, according to local media.

Ms Kiviniemi is expected to serve as Prime Minister until the next legislative elections, scheduled for April 2011, and the Centre Party hopes her clean image will boost ratings and help it remain in power also beyond the vote.

She has been Finland's public administration and local government minister since 2007 and an MP since 1995.

She was also minister for foreign trade and development for six months in 2005-2006, but through her years in politics, she has kept a relatively low profile and remains fairly unfamiliar to most Finns.

Her road to the front line of Finnish politics began when Mr Vanhanen, 54, announced unexpectedly last December he would step down as Centre Party leader and cut short his second term as prime minister due to leg surgery.