Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday she had taken a drug detection test after a video was published this week of her appearing at a party with friends.
Marin, 36, said he never used illegal drugs, that his ability to perform official duties remained intact on the night in question and that he would have left the party if he had to work.
A video of Marin partying with famous Finnish influencers and artists began circulating on social media this week and was soon published by various media outlets at home and abroad.
“In recent days, there have been very serious public accusations that I was in a space where there was drug use or that I was using drugs myself,” the prime minister told a news conference.
“I consider these allegations to be very serious, and while I consider the drug test requirement to be unfair, for my own legal protection and to clarify doubts I took a drug test today, the results of which will be out in about a week.”
Marin, who became the world’s youngest government leader in December 2019, accepted to take the exam after requests from members of her governing coalition and the opposition. The Social Democrat leader said she didn’t see anyone using drugs at the party she attended.
While many praised her for balancing a demanding job with an active private life, others questioned her decision to allow herself to film, albeit with a promise that the videos would not be released. Some of the criticism was misogynistic, with netizens and media outlets highlighting the fact that Marin is married and using foul words to refer to her.
At a time when Europe is shaky from the Ukrainian War, Marin also faces criticism that his parties could interfere with his ability to quickly fulfill duties if a sudden crisis hits Finland.
Finland, which shares a long land border with Russia, has applied, along with neighboring Sweden, to join NATO (Western military alliance) after the invasion, which completes six months next week.
“If there was a crisis situation, I would know it before midnight on Saturday,” she told reporters, adding that the Finnish Armed Forces are well equipped to anticipate any military crisis that could affect the country.
Marin had previously been criticized after another video of her at a party was leaked. At the time, in December 2021, she was filmed in a nightclub shortly after having had contact with a person infected with the coronavirus.
The prime minister then apologized to the population, saying that she had acted wrongly and that she “should have evaluated the situation more carefully”.
