Finns choose women

Helsinki

Finland could soon become the first European country to have women in its two top posts, prime minister and president. The opposition Center Party, led by Anneli Jäätteenmäki, narrowly won Finland’s parliamentary elections this week, ousting the Social Democrats. Jäätteenmäki, 48, gets first crack at wooing possible coalition partners, and if she succeeds in forming a government, she’ll be the country’s first female prime minister. Tarja Halonen, a former foreign minister, became the first female president in 2000 and will be up for re-election in 2006.