Finnish PM Sanna Marin: I am human, and I too sometimes long for joy, light and fun amidst these dark clouds
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Finland’s prime minister on Wednesday gave a forceful defence of her work record and her right to a private life after being swept up into a political scandal surrounding her partying.
“I am human, and I too sometimes long for joy, light and fun amidst these dark clouds,” Sanna Marin said as she fought to hold back tears at her Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) event in Lahti, north of Helsinki.
“It’s private, it’s joy, and it’s life. But I haven’t missed a single day of work.”
🇫🇮 La Première ministre finlandaise Sanna Marin est au bord des larmes alors qu'elle s'exprime sur des vidéos la montrant en train de faire la fête
Ms Marin said the last week had been “quite difficult”, adding: “I want to believe that people will look at what we do at work rather than what we do in our spare time.”
The 36-year-old sparked a furore after clips of her dancing at a private party and an exclusive nightclub were leaked to the press last week. Opposition leaders condemned her behaviour as unbecoming for a world leader.
But others argued double standards.
Hundreds of women across the world are posting footage of themselves partying in support Ms Marin.
Ms Marin has also apologised for images of topless influencers taken during a private party at her taxpayer-funded residence.
In a since-deleted TikTok post, two social media personalities were pictured kissing each other and covering their bare breasts with a “Finland” sign at her home.
Ms Marin’s party supported her during the video controversy, but local media reported that the new picture this week had led to increasing criticism within the Social Democrats.
“Sanna Marin is highly popular, but there is growing frustration within the party at the repeated scandals,” Helsingin Sanomat newspaper wrote on Tuesday, after talking with SDP MPs.
