Highlights
- Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has taken drug test after her party video went viral
- Finnish PM Sanna Marin defended her right to enjoy her free time
- I have nothing to hide and did nothing illegal, Finnish PM said
Finland PM dance video: Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin had to undertake a drug test after a video went viral on social showing her partying under the influence of alcohol with her close celebrity friends.
While she drank alcohol at the party, she said she did not take drugs.
Reacting to the leaked video, Finnish PM Sanna Marin defended her right to enjoy her free time.
"These are private images that were not intended to be made public," the 36-year-old told Finnish newspaper Iltalehti on Thursday, also expressing her disappointment that the images were leaked.
At the same time, she added, "I have nothing to hide and did nothing illegal," reports DPA news agency.
Together with some of her celebrity friends, Marin had partied in a private home before visiting two bars.
She emphasised her right to spend her free time in the same way others her age do, telling broadcaster Yle that she hopes people accept this and that "we live in a democracy".
Marin has drawn attention in the past for attending rock festivals and partying in nightclubs.
While many young people in Finland are proud of their Prime Minister's wild side, the video has also drawn criticism from people who consider her behaviour unbecoming.
Marin, who leads the center-left Social Democratic Party, has faced a barrage of questions about the party: Were there drugs? Alcohol? Was she working or on summer vacation? Was the prime minister sober enough to handle an emergency had one arisen?
The video, clearly shot by someone at the party, was leaked on social media and caught the attention of Finnish media this week. Marin said she attended the party in recent weeks, but refused to say exactly where and when.
She also acknowledged that she and her friends celebrated in a “boisterous way” and that alcohol - but, to her knowledge, no drugs - was involved. She said Friday that she took a drug test to put an end to speculation about illegal substances.
“I hope that in the year 2022 it’s accepted that even decision-makers dance, sing and go to parties,” Marin told reporters.
“I didn’t wish for any images to be spread, but it’s up to the voters to decide what they think about it.”
The prime minister, who is married and has a 4-year-old daughter, has often insisted that even though she’s the head of Finland’s government, she’s just like anyone else her age who likes a good time with friends and family in their leisure time.
In Helsinki on Friday afternoon, opinions were split.
When she took office in 2019, Marin, then 34, became the youngest person to become Prime Minister in Finnish history.
(With inputs from IANS, AP)
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