Susan Kuronen

Susan Kristiina Kuronen, currently Susan Kristiina Ruusunen (born 1970) is a divorced mother from Finland who had a relationship with Finland's prime minister, Matti Vanhanen. The couple had met via an Internet dating service. [cite news |first=Kate |last=Connolly |title=Finnish PM improves his prospects with deft handling of a hot potato |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/mar/17/kateconnolly.international |work=The Guardian |date=2007-03-17 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] The relationship lasted less than a year and ended in 2006, reportedly by the sending of an SMS message by Vanhanen. [cite news |title=V R THRU! |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/827901.cms |work=The Times of India |date=2006-12-17 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] She has been heavily criticised for profiting from the publicity surrounding the brief affair. [cite news |first=Matti |last=Huuhtanen |title=Book on Finnish PM Spices Up Elections |url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Mar15/0,4670,FinlandElection,00.html |work=Fox News |date=2007-03-15 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ]

In February 2007 Kuronen published a book, "Pääministerin morsian" ("The Prime Minister's Bride", ISBN 978-952-99593-4-1), where she discloses details about the relationship. Based on a personal diary and text messages sent during the affair, the book was called the first 'kiss-and-tell' publication to appear in Finland, causing both uproar and intrigue. [ cite web |url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Susans+book+sets+off+a+media+feeding-frenzy/1135224921758|title=Susan's book sets off a media feeding-frenzy|accessdate=2007-03-03 | work=Helsingin Sanomat] Kuronen's limited language skills, as exhibited in her media interviews, have led to speculation that the book was written by a ghostwriter. In October 2007 she was charged with violation of the right to privacy over the publication of her book. [cite news |title= Finnish PM's ex-girlfriend sued over tell-all book |url=http://www.mywire.com/pubs/AFP/2007/10/05/4648551?extID=10051 |work=AFP |date=2007-10-05 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] Prime minister Vanhanen claimed €1,000 in damages from the publisher, but made no claims against Ruusunen. [ cite web |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/finnish-pm-sues-over-kissandtell-783002.html
title=Finnish PM sues over kiss-and-tell|accessdate=2008-02-18|work=The Independent]

In March 2008 Susan Ruusunen and the publisher of her book were cleared of all charges.

Kuronen continued to make headlines in Finnish tabloids. In May 2007 the Finnish magazine "Hymy" published a semi-nude pictorial of Kuronen. [cite news |title=Susan Kuronen Rohkeat Kuvat! |work=Hymy |date=May 2007 |accessdate=2008-02-14 ] Kuronen had earlier declined an offer to pose in a pornographic publication. In March 2007, Kuronen announced the change of her last name to Ruusunen, which is her grandmother's mother's maiden name.

References

External links

* [http://blog.anta.net/blog/_archives/2007/10/7/3275378.html Matti vs. Susan farce on its way to the courtroom]