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Finland’s Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, is in the news as a leaked video shows her partying with friends.
Marin has a history of partying when not performing duties as a Nordic leader.
The Finnish leader — one of the world’s youngest heads of state at just 36 — has faced escalating pressure after someone shared videos of her dancing wildly, with opponents questioning if she was on drugs.
The BBC reported:
“In the footage [of the leaked video], she and friends including Finnish celebrities are seen dancing and singing. She has faced criticism from opposition parties, with one leader demanding she take a drug test. Ms. Marin, 26 denied taking drugs, saying she only drank alcohol and just partied ‘in a boisterous way’.”
The BBC continued that Ms. Marin makes no secret of partying and has often been photographed at music festivals.
Last year, she apologized for going clubbing after coming into close contact with a Covid 19 case.
And when opposition leader Riika Purra called for Ms. Marin to take a voluntary drug test, saying there was a “shadow of doubt” hanging over the prime minister, MP Mikko Karna tweeted that “it would be wise” for her to “voluntarily undergo a drugs test.”
Ms. Marin told reporters she had “no problem taking tests” and the prime minister also revealed she took a drug test to prove she was not under the influence. The test came back negative.
Ms. Marin stated to reporters,” I have a family life, I have a work life and I have free time to spend with my friends. Pretty much the same as many people my age.”
On Wednesday Marin gave a tearful speech during a meeting of her Social Democratic Party in the southern city of Lahti, asking to be judged for her work, not what she chooses to do in her free time.
NBC reported:
“I am also human,” a red-eyed Marin was reported saying by Finnish media, speaking with a broken voice. She added that she had never failed to attend to a single work task because she took time off. “I do my job. I learn from this,” she reportedly said.
The video in question is not the only evidence of wild partying, other leaks showed the married mom dancing with a mystery man as well as hosting topless influencers at her official summer residence.
On Friday, Finnish tabloid Seiska posted a new video of her later the same night as the leaked video, showing the top politician pressed up against a man who repeatedly nuzzles her neck as they dance in a packed Helsinki club, Teatteri.
The Finnish leader has opposition voices accusing the center-left PM of lacking judgment.
“She is now surrounded by people who are just taking advantage of her,” Tiima Lokka of conservative Finnish podcast Monokulttuuri FM told NBC News.
But the party-loving prime minister now has moral support from another female in politics.
The 36-year-old could possibly benefit from some wisdom from some elder politicians on how to handle her private life.
Hillary Clinton is throwing down in support of Marin, reliving her own scandal from strutting her stuff in office — and urging her to “keep dancing” through the backlash.
The doomed Democratic presidential candidate linked Marin to a throwback photo of when she also made headlines 10 years ago for tearing up the dance floor and swigging a beer while representing the US.
Sending wisdom to the younger politician, Clinton urged the under-fire PM to “keep dancing.”
“Here’s me in Cartagena while I was there for a meeting as Secretary of State,” wrote Clinton of the snap of her letting off steam in Colombia at the end of the VI Summit of the Americas in 2012.
“Keep dancing, @marinsanna,” tweeted the supportive former first lady.
As Ann Richards said, “Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.”
Here’s me in Cartagena while I was there for a meeting as Secretary of State.
Keep dancing, @marinsanna. pic.twitter.com/btAtUFOcNV
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 28, 2022
Her message quickly racked up more than 150,000 likes, including from the Finnish leader herself.
“Thank you @HillaryClinton,” replied Marin with a heart emoji.
Thank you @HillaryClinton ❤️ https://t.co/8XU9RKUlas
— Sanna Marin (@MarinSanna) August 28, 2022
Clinton had also faced a backlash after she was seen tearing up the dance floor and swigging a beer as she partied with about 12 pals at Cartagena’s Cafe Havana.
Still, it was one of many scandals highlighting Clinton, with The Post at the time noting she was just “Havana a heck of a good time.”
Post columnist Andrea Peyser even saw it as proof that Clinton was ready to launch her doomed run for the White House, The New York Post observed.
While Marin appreciated the support from Clinton, not everyone in the Nordic European nation felt the same.
Some Finns urged Clinton to keep her nose out of their politics, telling her to instead “take care of US domestic policy.”
Another critic wrote: “Well, dear Hillary and Marin, is this the right time to dance, and have a party. I don`t think so. The whole world is falling apart. Or, is that the reason why you celebrate?”
Source: The Republic Brief