Finland Prime Minister’s Private Partying Video leaked online, Causing controversy
Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland is a first: at the age of 37, she is the youngest person to ever hold that position in Finland. Currently, her dancing skills are what garner both praise and criticism.
This week, videos surfaced online purporting to show 36-year-old Marin dancing at a private party with friends. According to Finnish media, the Associated Press found Instagram stories in which users could be heard “shouting about cocaine.” The footage was shot “a few weeks ago,” Marin explained
Members of the opposition party have demanded that Prime Minister Marin submit to a drug test and make the findings public, implying that her behaviour is unbecoming of a leader in her position. Riikka Purra, the head of the opposition party, has said that her acts are surrounded by “shadow of doubt.”
Marin denied drug use or heavy drinking at the party during a press briefing on Thursday. She declared, “I have danced, sung, celebrated, and done legal things.”
Marin also expressed her regret that the videos had been distributed. Since the recordings were shown at an invitation-only gathering, Marin reasoned that they would not be made public. “It feels bad that they have been published.”
She added that she does not think there is any reason to alter her ways. The Prime Minister has stated, “I am going to be exactly the same person as I have been up until now, and I hope that it will be accepted.”
Finnish television host Aleksi Valavuori said the video showed Marin’s incompetence and criticised his conduct.
Many internet users, however, have stepped out to support Marin’s right to party, claiming that the focus on her behaviour has been unfairly sexist.
The criticism about Marin’s social life is nothing new. After a coworker tested positive for the coronavirus in December 2017, critics claimed that Marin should have taken more care to avoid spreading the virus by continuing to party. The Prime Minister did not violate any laws in her actions. Individuals who have been vaccinated against the disease in Finland are not required to stay in isolation if they come into contact with a confirmed case of the disease. She also expressed regret, explaining that she had been instructed to isolate herself by text message but had not been carrying her official phone.
Marin’s frequent appearances at public events like concerts and festivals have made her a media darling. She has fired back by saying, “I have a family life, I have a work life, and I have free time to spend with my friends.” That is about average for persons my age.