
Finland's party-loving ex-prime minister Sanna Marin cosies up to 'British jiu jitsu medallist' during music festival - after divorcing her husband of 19 years
The former Prime Minister of Finland, 39, took to Instagram to share a selection of snaps from her time at Flow25, a three-day event that welcomed a host of celebrities to its stages, including Charli XCX and Burna Boy.
The 39-year-old appeared to make the most of the summertime offering alongside her friends and a man, whom Ilta-Sanomat believes might be British Liam Chivers.
According to the publication, Chivers works for the Tony Blair Institute, where the former politician is also employed, in an operational role.
Sanna, who served as the world's youngest Prime Minister and led her country to NATO, gave up politics to join the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in 2023 as a strategic advisor.
Elsewhere, Chivers has reportedly also worked for Halo Trust, a humanitarian non-government organisation founded in the '80s that strives to clear landmines left behind by conflicts.
He is also said to have joined the Air Force in 2013 and was awarded the Medal of Honour for 'outstanding leadership and bravery in operations in Afghanistan,' the outlet reported.
When he's not at work, it seems as though Chivers entertains himself by practising jiu jitsu - and he's racked up impressive medals in the sport, including at the IBJJF London Open, where he took home gold.
Elsewhere in Sanna's post, she shared images from her fun-filled weekend, posing with friends at the festival, and in one video, dancing on a table.
She looked the part for the event as well, and danced in a crop top with low-rise jeans on one day, before changing into mini black shorts and a white shirt for another day of the three-day event.
Sanna was the world's youngest prime minister when she took office in 2019. She lost the general election in Finland to the country's conservative party leader, Petteri Orpo, in April 2023.
It comes after the former politician announced that she will be releasing a new memoir about her time in office.
The 39-year-old, from Helsinki, is due to release her book this autumn, which will look back on her four years in office, when she led an all-female governing coalition.
The glamorous politician also oversaw her country's joining NATO and enacted legislation on climate change and social justice.
Marin wrote on her Instagram at the time: 'Exciting news! I am thrilled to finally announce that my book Hope in Action: A Memoir About the Courage to Lead will be published by Scribner (US) and Macmillan (UK) at the beginning of November 2025.
'With this book and telling about my journey, I want to encourage people to take a stance and act for the change they want to see in the world.
Liam plays jiu jitsu competitively - and he's racked up impressive medals in the sport, including at the IBJJF London Open, where he took home gold (pictured)
'Despite all the challenges we are facing at the moment, we have to remember – there is hope if there is action. I am more than happy to share my story with all of you soon.'
Scribner announced that Marin's 'Hope in Action: A Memoir about the Courage to Lead' will be published on November 4. The publisher is calling the book 'a rare, personal account' of 'pivotal events.'
Marin was just 34 when elected in 2019, as part of a centre-left coalition that made history by being led entirely by women.
'The world is increasingly complex. Geopolitical turmoil and rivalry are challenging the rules-based international order.
'Climate change and the loss of biodiversity are threatening our very existence. We are also witnessing pushback on gender equality and women´s and girls´ rights,' Marin said in a statement issued through Scribner.
'Despite all of the challenges we are facing, we have to remember - there is hope if there is action. I hope that through my story, I can encourage people to take a stance and act for the change they want to see in the world.'
Marin became known internationally for her opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and for Finland 's rapid entry into NATO, ending a policy of neutrality that had been in place since the end of World War II.
In August 2022, she tearfully apologised after facing scrutiny following the publication of a photo that showed two women kissing and posing topless at the prime minister's official summer residence.
A photo emerged showing Marin's friend and model Sabina Särkkä, 33, posing topless while kissing her semi-naked friend in the prime minister's official residence of Kesäranta.
Särkkä, 33, apologised for her 'inappropriate behaviour' after the image emerged, saying that she was 'deeply sorry' for causing further embarrassment to the leader who was already under fire for partying.
The photo came out after a video emerged showing Marin dancing and singing with friends at a nightclub.
This prompted a debate about how a head of state should behave during her free time and whether women in politics are held to a different standard.
Marin was emotional when she addressed a crowd in the southern Finnish town of Lathi about how glimpses of her private life had been made public.
'I am also human,' Finnish media quoted Marin as saying with a broken voice and red eyes. She added that she had never failed to attend to a single work task because she took time off.
'I do my job. I learn from this,' Marin said. 'This week has not been easy. It has been difficult. But I want to believe that people look at the work we do, not what we do in our free time.
Last year, after leaving her role as PM, Marin launched a new aesthetic on Instagram trading powersuit for floaty dresses and influencer-coded captions reading 'nights like this'.
The ex-politician was sharing snaps from her summer in Finland, including days out at festivals in Helsinki and trips to the city of Tampere.
In one video, posted to her Instagram story, Marin walks forward in front of a idyllic pink and blue sunset.
Wearing a semi-sheer white summer dress, she walked towards the camera in a catwalk like manner.
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