Kiviniemi will take over from Matti Vanhanen (centre), who has led the country's coalition government since 2003.
Vanhanen announced in December that he would not seek re-election as Centre Party leader in party congress elections in June and would thus step down from his functions as prime minister.
The outgoing prime minister declined to comment on the reasons behind his decision and answered only that "nothing dramatic is involved". After having completed his final appointment as Finnish premier at last week's EU summit, he told journalists that he would only explain his reasons a few years down the line, adding that they would be "entirely comprehensible".
Vahanen handed in his resignation to Finnish President Tarja Halonen on Friday (18 June). She is expected approve his resignation today, followed by the appointment of Kiviniemi.
As the largest member in the four-party coalition, the Centre Party gets to name the prime minister, usually the party leader.
The party congress elected the 41-year old minister of public administration and local government as the party's new chairman and nominee for premier just a week ago. Kiviniemi has been in the Finnish parliament since 1995 and has also held the position of Minister for Foreign trade and Development for a short while.
Negotiations to review the Government Programme for the rest of the electoral term were quickly concluded on Saturday (19 June), with no major changes planned before parliamentary elections in April 2011. The coalition will continue to focus on the economy and high unemployment.
No major reshuffles in portfolios are expected either, except to fill Kiviniemi's position. The new government is set to hold a press conference later today.
Kiviniemi will be Finland's second female prime minister as centrist politician Anneli Jäätteenmäki briefly held the post before Vanhanen from April-June 2003.
