In a leaked video, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin can be seen dancing and singing with friends at a private party. The 36-year-old leader poses for the camera. She is sitting on her knees, hands behind her head. She is involved in a group hug. He’s having a good time. Countless similar videos are shared daily on social media by young and not-so-young partygoers in Finland and around the world. But the leak has sparked a debate among Finns about the level of disclosure appropriate for a prime minister, especially considering neighboring Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which prompted Finland and Sweden to apply to join NATO. Marin, who leads the center-left Social Democratic Party, has faced a barrage of questions about the party: Were there drugs? Alcohol? Was he working or on summer vacation? Was the prime minister sober enough to handle an emergency? The video, apparently taken 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 declined to say exactly where or when. She also acknowledged that she and her friends celebrated “in a wild way” and that alcohol — but, as far as she knows, no drugs — were involved. He said Friday that he took a drug test to end speculation about illegal substances. “I hope that in 2022 it will be accepted that even those who make decisions dance, sing and go to parties,” Marin told reporters. “I didn’t want any images to be circulated, but it’s up to the voters to decide what they think about it.” The prime minister, who is married with a 4-year-old daughter, has often insisted that despite being the head of Finland’s government, she is just like anyone else her age who likes to have a good time with friends and family in their free time. In Helsinki on Friday afternoon, opinions were divided. Josua Fagerholm, who works in marketing, said the episode was potentially damaging to Finland’s reputation and public trust in Finnish politicians. “I think it’s important for our politicians to be respectable and enjoy the trust of the public. So I don’t think it’s a good look,” he said. Mintuu Kylliainen, a student in Helsinki, disagreed. He said everyone is entitled to their opinion, but he felt the leaked video was getting too much attention. “It’s normal to party,” Kylliainen said. “She should have fun in her life too.” Some supporters say criticism of the prime minister smacks of sexism. Marin became the youngest Prime Minister of Finland in 2019 at the age of 34. Even in the egalitarian Scandinavian country, Marin felt that her gender and age were sometimes given too much emphasis. She told Vogue magazine in 2020 that “in every position I’ve ever been in, my gender has always been the starting point – that I’m a young woman.” Anu Koivonen, a professor of gender studies at the University of Turku in Finland, said she did not believe gender was a determining factor in the uproar over the leaked video. He said the party itself was not a big deal, but the fact that the video was leaked could be seen as an error of judgment by the prime minister in terms of the people she surrounded herself with. “That he didn’t hold back in a company where he can’t trust everyone in the room,” Koivonen said. “I think that’s the main issue.” In another twist, the video was posted online a day after Finland decided to halve the number of visas issued to Russians from September 1. Finland, Estonia and other EU countries bordering Russia have been pushing for an EU-wide ban on Russian tourists but this has been resisted by Germany and other EU nations. Jarno Limnell, a cybersecurity expert and politician with Finland’s conservative National Coalition Party, said the party incident was problematic from a security perspective, noting that Finland’s top leaders are of interest to foreign security services. “Information is collected from various sources, and even seemingly insignificant information can be important to a foreign power,” Limnel told Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. “Top decision-makers are under close scrutiny during the NATO ratification process.” It’s not the first time Marin’s party has hit the headlines. In December, she apologized after she went out clubbing until 4 a.m. and missed a text message advising her to avoid social contact because of her proximity to someone infected with COVID-19. Marin said she didn’t see the message because she had left her phone at home. She tested negative for the virus. Even in a progressive society like Finland, Marin breaks the mold of a typical politician. He grew up with a single mother who was having an affair with another woman. Many Finns are proud of her modern approach to the office, including her casual attire. Marin took social media by storm in April when she appeared at a press conference with her Swedish counterpart wearing a black leather jacket. Marin and her majority cabinet have won praise in Finland and internationally for steadfastly guiding the country through the COVID-19 pandemic and the NATO application process. “Our prime minister is super,” said Jori Korkman, a retiree in Helsinki. “She has taken a very difficult job at a very difficult time and has done a first-class job. What she does in her spare time is none of our business.” —— Ritter reported from Stockholm.
