There has been an interesting trend across the globe. Politicians are becoming younger and this has been the case especially with leaders in top positions. This trend is also reflective of the fact that the young are taking active interest in the workings of their countries and taking charge to become changemakers. Here is a list of popular under-50 politicians around the world.
Maren Grothe
Born in 2001, Maren Grothe is a Norwegian politician who was elected deputy representative to the Storting, supreme legislature of Norway, from the constituency of Sor-Trondelag for 2021-2025 for the Centre Party. Grothe is the youngest representative to actively be a part of the Storting and comes from Hølonda. She is also the member of the standing committee on education and research for 2021-2025.
Sanna Marin
Sanna Marin is the Prime Minister of Finland. Sworn in 2019, she became the youngest serving state leader and the youngest PM in Finland’s history. She has been a member of parliament since 2015. The 36-year-old who belongs to the Social Democratic Party of Finland, was caught in controversy as a video of her partying went viral on social media. She was criticised for the video in which she was seen singing and dancing. However, Finland’s chancellor of justice Tuomas Poysti cleared her of the misconduct allegations, saying that she did not neglect her role as the country’s leader.
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Tejasvi Surya
Tejasvi Surya is a 31-year-old MP serving in the 17th Lok Sabha representing Bangalore South constituency from BJP. He is also the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha since 2020. Surya, who was born in a political family, graduated from Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies in Academic Law. He was earlier an active member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and actively contributed to BJP’s 2014 general elections. He later also led Karnataka BJP’s digital communications team during the 2018 legislative assembly elections in the state. As an advocate, he has represented BJP leaders such as Mahesh Hegde, Pratap Simha, and assisted lawyer Ashok Haranhalli in defending BS Yeddyurappa’s corruption cases. Ravi Subramanya, senior BJP leader and MLA representing Basavanaguddi is his uncle.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
The young politician who is 33-year-old has been in news for comfortably winning the Democratic primary for New York’s 14th Congressional District. She won against powerful rivals like Michelle Caruso Cabrera, a former CNBC international correspondent, who received several donations. “Wall Street CEOs, from Goldman Sachs to Blackstone, poured in millions to defeat our grassroots campaign tonight. But their money couldn’t buy a movement,” she tweeted after the victory in 2020. She took office at the age of 29 and became the youngest woman ever to serve in the US Congress. Ocasio-Cortez had humble beginnings as she worked as a waitress and bartender before contesting, and has a massive social media presence. She graduated in international relations and economics from Boston University. Cortez was born in New York City borough of the Bronx in 1989.
Giorgia Meloni
Italian politician Giorgia Meloni (45) was appointed the Prime Minister of Italy in October this year. She is also the first Italian female Prime Minister. She was born in Rome to a Sardinian father and Sicilian mother. A member of Chamber of Deputies (lower house of the bicameral Italian parliament), she has been leading the Brothers of Italy party since 2014. The party Brothers of Italy was founded in 2012 by Meloni and others. The name of the party comes from the Italian national anthem. Meloni was criticised when she refused to vaccinate her daughter on religious grounds.
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak has been appointed the Prime Minister of UK after Liz Truss resigned from the post. He belongs to the Conservative Party. The 42-year-old is not only the youngest British PM in two decades but also the first PM of Asian origin to hold the post. He is also the husband of Akshata Murty, daughter of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murty. Sunak was born in Southampton, Hampshire, to parents of Indian descent — Yashvir and Usha Sunak — and has two daughters with Murty.
Jacinda Ardern
Everyone has heard of Jacinda Ardern, the young and popular Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was born in Hamilton, New Zealand. At 39, Ardern has achieved what no other world leader could amid the pandemic: she made her country Covid-free and was appreciated for her management and leadership skills. When New Zealand was declared Covid-free, she did a little dance, Ardern confessed during the pandemic. A mother of a young child, she is supported by a stay-at-home husband.
