KUALA LUMPUR – Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has come under fire after a leaked video of her partying was shared on social media.
The video of the country’s youngest-ever premier on Wednesday drew the ire of her critics who say the 36-year-old leader behaved inappropriately and was unfit to rule the country.
Stretching just under half a minute, the footage first published by local tabloid Iltalehti, showed Marin dancing fervently and drinking with friends in what appeared to be a private apartment, The Guardian reported.
According to the BBC, Finland’s opposition leader Riikka Purra called on the Social Democratic Party head to take a voluntary drug test to allay concerns over a “shadow of doubt” on the latter’s leadership.
Other critics slammed the prime minister over her alleged penchant for partying instead of attending to other pressing domestic issues.
However, Marin had denied consuming any drugs, adding that she only drank alcohol and was merely dancing in a “boisterous” way.
The prime minister on Thursday also noted that she was aware of being filmed during the party but was upset that the video went public.
“I danced, sang, and partied – perfectly legal things. And I’ve never been in a situation where I've seen or known of others (using drugs),” she said, as quoted by the BBC.
Finland’s Prime Minister @MarinSanna is in the headlines after a video of her partying was leaked today.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 17, 2022
She has previously been criticized for attending too many music festivals & spending too much on partying instead of ruling.
The critics say it’s not fitting for a PM. pic.twitter.com/FbOhdTeEGw
Marin drew international headlines after taking office in December 2019 at the age of 34, making her the youngest individual to hold office in the European country’s history.
The video adds to a string of controversies Marin had faced in recent years over partying.
In December 2021, Marin faced criticism after attending a nightclub in Helsinki after coming into contact with Finland’s foreign minister who had tested positive for Covid-19 and exposing herself to the virus.
However, some parties have come to the defence of the prime minister, saying she had a right to party.
Antti Lindtman, a Social Democrat MP, said the leader enjoyed the support of many citizens, adding that she was dancing at a “private event”.
“I see nothing to write home about,” he said, as quoted by The Guardian.
Marin, who has been praised as the world’s “coolest prime minister” by German news outlet Bild, has no reservations about her partying, and has been spotted at music festivals.
She had also been lauded for her country’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis, which saw Finland fare better than most other European countries. – The Vibes, August 19, 2022
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