Finnish PM Marin to step down as chair of SDP in fall

HELSINKI - Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced Wednesday that she will step down as the chair of the Social Democratic Party but will remain in the position until the next party convention scheduled for September.

Her party came in third in the parliamentary election held on Sunday, behind the conservative National Coalition Party and the right wing Finns party.

Marin will lead her party in the consultations about the formation of a new government before continuing as an ordinary lawmaker in Parliament, she told a press conference, adding that her cabinet will hand a resignation on Thursday and will remain in a caretaker capacity.

Marin reaffirmed that she won't run for the presidency in the election next year.

Marin assumed premiership in late 2019 following the resignation of her predecessor Antti Rinne, also a Social Democrat, after a key coalition partner withdrew its support for him.

Talks on forming a new Finnish government are set to begin next week under the leadership of Petteri Orpo, head of the winning National Coalition Party.