Finnish PM Sanna Marin tests negative for drugs after 'wild' dance party video surfaces
The drug test taken by Finland’s prime minister last week found no traces of any illegal substances, officials in Helsinki said Monday.
“No narcotics were found in the prime minister’s drug test,” the Finnish government said in a brief statement on Monday night, adding that more details on the test would be available soon.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced Friday that she had taken the voluntary drug test at her own expense to prove she did not use illicit narcotics after a video surfaced online showing her dancing at a “wild” party with her friends.
“I did nothing illegal,” Marin told reporters.
In the video posted to social media, Marin, 36, is seen dancing and singing with five other people — including the Finnish singer Alma — in a private home.
At one point in the footage, she is seen on her knees with her arms behind her head while lip-synching to a song. It’s unclear when the party took place.
Finland’s Prime Minister @MarinSanna is in the headlines after a video of her partying was leaked today.
She has previously been criticized for attending too many music festivals & spending too much on partying instead of ruling.
The critics say it’s not fitting for a PM. pic.twitter.com/FbOhdTeEGw— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 17, 2022
Marin, who became Finland’s youngest-ever prime minister when she was elected in 2019, said she was “disappointed” that the footage became public, but maintained she did nothing wrong.
“I spent the evening with friends. Partied, pretty wild, yes. Danced and sang,” Marin said earlier this week. “I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol. I’ve danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things.”
Many people have dismissed the controversy, which doesn’t actually feature any misconduct by Marin. Hundreds of Finnish women have posted videos of themselves dancing, in solidarity with the legislative leader.
Marin’s penchant for dancing has also been the subject of tabloid fodder in Finland.
In December, Marin apologized for going out clubbing in Helsinki until 4 a.m. without her phone after her foreign minister had tested positive for COVID-19.
She was initially told she did not need to isolate herself because she had been fully vaccinated, but missed a text message advising her to do so.
But Marin also said she has no plans to change her social habits.
“I hope that’s accepted,” she told the Finnish broadcaster YLE last week. “We live in a democracy, and in elections everyone can decide these issues.”