Helsinki  - Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has become engaged to Sirkka Mertala, the prime minister's office said Friday.

The couple have been dating for a year.

The statement was issued after tabloid Ilta-Sanomat in its Friday edition reported that the couple on Thursday bought engagement rings.

Vanhanen divorced his first wife in 2005, and has since been dated several women.

Helsinki - Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party dropped to third place after local elections held Sunday, final tallies showed Monday.

Vanhanen noted that his party had probably suffered from being in office and said election results differed.

The Centre Party dropped 2.7 percentage points compared to the 2004 local elections, scoring 20.1 per cent.

Analysts including Goran Djupsund, professor of political science and political communication at Abo Akademi University, did not rule out a shake-up of the party leadership.

Helsinki - Finnish Prime Minister M

Mumbai, Feb 6: Finnish Prime