Finland to produce world's youngest prime minister this week ; she is 34 years old

Sanna Marin, aged 34, will become the world's youngest prime minister as head of a women-led coalition government in Finland.

The transportation minister was picked by her Social Democratic party to take charge after PM Antti Rinne quit. She is expected to be sworn in this week.

Marin who will become the world’s youngest sitting prime minister, had a swift rise in Finnish politics since becoming head of the city council of her industrial hometown of Tampere at the age of 27. She will be taking over in the middle of a 3-day wave of strikes, which will halt production at some of Finland's largest companies from Monday December 9. The Confederation of Finnish Industries estimates the strikes will cost the companies a combined 500 million euros (US$550 million) in lost revenue.

She will lead a centre-left coalition of five parties all headed by women.

Mr Rinne stepped down after losing the confidence of a coalition member over his handling of a postal strike.