17 Facts About Mari Kiviniemi

Mari Johanna Kiviniemi was born on 27 September 1968 and is a Finnish politician, who served as the 41st and second female Prime Minister of Finland from 2010 to 2011.

Mari Kiviniemi grew up in rural Southern Ostrobothnia, the daughter of a chicken farmer, and went to school in Jalasjarvi.

Mari Kiviniemi enrolled in the University of Helsinki in 1988 to study economics.

Mari Kiviniemi is a member of the Helsinki city council, in addition to her work in national politics.

Mari Kiviniemi has been on the city council since 2005.

In 2003, Mari Kiviniemi was elected to a leadership position within the Centre Party, serving as vice-chairman until June 2008, when she was voted off at that summer's party convention.

Mari Kiviniemi became a special advisor to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen in 2004, and was twice appointed by him to serve as a Cabinet minister: first in September 2005 on a temporary basis when the incumbent went on maternity leave for six months; and then on a full-time basis in April 2007.

On 22 January 2010, one month after Prime Minister Vanhanen announced he would be stepping down as leader of the Centre Party at its June 2010 convention, Mari Kiviniemi announced her candidacy for the vacancy.

Mari Kiviniemi won the second-round run-off, defeating Mauri Pekkarinen by a vote of 1,357 to 1,035.

Mari Kiviniemi's election made her Finland's second female prime minister, after Anneli Jaatteenmaki in 2003.

Mari Kiviniemi initially declared that her party would not seek to be part of the next government, but later accepted an invitation by Jyrki Katainen to join coalition negotiations.

The Centre Party went into opposition, with Mari Kiviniemi continuing as its chairwoman.

Mari Kiviniemi was succeeded by Juha Sipila as the party's chair.

Mari Kiviniemi said she believed that the party was strong, but could only succeed when the leadership enjoys absolute support.

Mari Kiviniemi took up her duties as OECD Deputy Secretary-General on 25 August 2014.

Mari Kiviniemi is responsible for the strategic oversight of the OECD's work on Efficient and Effective Governance; Territorial Development; Trade and Agriculture, as well as Statistics.

Mari Kiviniemi is responsible for advancing the Better Life Initiative.