Sanna Marin dancing: Video of Finland’s female Prime Minister partying in leaked video leads to demands she take a drug test as questions of propriety are raised.
Would a head of state received the same degree of scrutiny over leaked videos if the genders were reversed?
Finland‘s female prime minister is facing calls to take a drug test after leaked cellphone video showed her dancing and partying ‘wildly’ with her celebrity friends.
Sanna Marin, who at age 36 is one of the youngest heads of state in the world, defended her conduct seen in the viral clips, with the Finnish P.M vehemently denied using drugs.
‘I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol. I’ve danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things,’ the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) leader said during a Thursday press conference.
In the recordings, which were purportedly taken from a private Instagram account, Marin and a group of friends — among them Finnish musicians, TV personalities and politicians — are seen dancing and singing.
What should one demand and or expect from (female) political leaders?
Dressed in a black tank top and a pair of tight white pants, the glamorous prime minister is seen gyrating her hips, pumping her fists with enthusiasm and making funny faces with her girlfriends for the camera, in what appears to be a private apartment.
Following the leak, Finnish Member of Parliament Mikko Kärnä, from Marin’s coalition partner Centre Party, tweeted that Marin should take a voluntary drug test and make the results public.
‘The people are also allowed to expect this from their prime minister,’ he wrote.
Addressing her ‘behavior’, Marin admitted drinking alcohol — but not to excess — along with having partied ‘in a boisterous way.’
‘I haven’t used any drugs, so it’s not a problem to take a drug test, but I also think it’s quite special that something like this is required,’ she told reporters, adding that she has ‘nothing to conceal or hide.’
‘I have a family life, a work life and also my free time, and I spend time with my friends”, said Marin, who also mentioned her official security detail was stationed nearby when the party took place, although they weren’t inside the event.’
The 36-year-old European leader, who could be confused for a celebrity or star in her own right, insisted that her actions were completely legal. Marin also said she knew she was being filmed at the social event a couple of weeks ago, but expected the recordings to remain private.
Coolest prime minister in the world
Marin also revealed that the raucous footage was taken at gatherings at two separate apartments with some 20 guests.
Among those in attendance were Finnish singer Alma, rapper Petri Nygard, TV presenter Tinni Wikstrom and MPs from Marin’s Social Democratic party.
Earlier this week, the German publication Bild hailed Marin as ‘the coolest prime minister in the world.’
This is not the first time that Marin’s proclivity for partying has raised eyebrows.
In December 2021, Marin was forced to apologize for spending a night at a nightclub after coming into close contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID.
Marin said she missed a text message instructing her to self-isolate because she had left her work phone at home, although as prime minister she was supposed to have the device on her at all times.
‘I am very sorry for not understanding that I needed to do that,’ Marin said at the time.
