She earned widespread praise over the past four years for her handling of the pandemic and adept response to the Ukraine crisis, including a dramatic pivot towards NATO. It officially becomes the North Atlantic alliance’s 31st member on Tuesday.

But these things were not front and centre over the past few weeks in an election largely fought on the economy and public debt. And like Ardern and Sturgeon, despite cult-like status among true believers, many Finns had come to see Marin as a polarising figure.

The Nordic nation, whose major parties are traditionally rather centrist and pragmatic, has had 76 governments since it gained its independence in 1917. With the difference between the left and the right often hard to detect, the unsentimental Finns regularly change prime ministers after just one term.

Essi Poyry, a senior researcher at the University of Helsinki, says while the public was pleased with the positive attention that came with having an “international superstar” Marin was at times a divisive figure domestically.

“Even though she is popular in Finland,” Poyry said, she noted that there was a “very loud crowd” within the country that disapproves of her “progressive values”.

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She came under heavy scrutiny last year when a video emerged of her singing, dancing and drinking at a party, but it seemingly had little impact in the polls. Supporters said the controversy was steeped in sexism and women across the country and the world shared videos of themselves dancing in solidarity.

“I have encountered surprise at the fact that not everybody loves Sanna Marin. We have to remember that Marin is not politically accountable to people who do not live in Finland,” Poyry said.

The man who will replace her, the pro-business Orpo, 53, told reporters on polling day: “We must fix our economy. We are a clear alternative to the left-wing government. People are very worried about the economy.”

While he was happy to go along with Marin’s ambitious climate policy, he was a vocal critic of how her government managed public finances. And having overseen the finance, interior and agriculture portfolios in two governments, Orpo is a well-known quantity, having led his party since 2016.

But bigger things could still be ahead for Marin. There is already speculation she might be a leading candidate of the European Social Democrats in the 2024 elections to succeed Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission.

But for now, in Marin’s own words: “democracy has spoken”.

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