The head of Justice of Finland, Tuomas Pöysti, exonerated Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Friday of the accusations of negligence made against her for participating in private parties this summer. The images caused a strong controversy on social networks and sparked a solidarity movement among women with political positions.
According to Pöysti, in charge of supervising the legality of the actions of the Government and the President of the Republic, there is no indication that Marin breached his official duty by attending these parties.
"I have no reason to suspect that Prime Minister Marin has acted incorrectly in her official capacity as minister or that she has abandoned her duties," concludes Pöysti after thoroughly analyzing several complaints filed by citizens.
In them, Marin is accused, among other things, of not being in a position to exercise his position for having consumed a large amount of alcohol, without having previously transferred his functions to another minister during the weekends in which he was partying.
The Chancellor of Justice refuted this accusation alleging that the complaints did not specify what official work could not be carried out or what specific function was compromised due to the behavior of the prime minister.
The complaints filed also blamed Marin for not having behaved in a manner befitting the dignity of a Head of Government, displaying an attitude that tarnished Finland's international reputation.
However, the Chancellor recalled that the obligation of officials to maintain good conduct does not apply to ministers, who are directly supervised -and, where appropriate, deposed- by the Eduskunta (Parliament).
"It is not for the Chancellor of Justice, as the supreme authority on questions of legality, to assess the morality of a minister's conduct or questions relating to his political credibility or the trust he enjoys," Pöysti said in his opinion.
Marin, 36, made headlines around the world last August after leaking a video of her singing and dancing at a private party with a group of famous people. The social democratic leader voluntarily submitted to a drug test to deny the rumors, spread by social networks, that she had taken narcotics, but the same day that her innocence was proven, a new controversy arose.
The press also published a photo of two of Marin's friends kissing almost bare-chested at a party in early July at the prime minister's official residence, a day after attending a rock festival. EFE
