On the verge of tears, the Finnish Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, yesterday defended her search for "joy" and "life" after the controversy over the videos that show her dancing and partying.
"I'm a human being. Sometimes I also long for joy, light and pleasure in the midst of these dark clouds,” he said, his voice trembling, at an event organized by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the southern town of Lahti. "It's private, it's joy, and it's life," he said, his eyes misty. "But I haven't missed a single day of work," he defended.
The prime minister has been the subject of controversy since last week after videos were leaked of her appearing with friends and celebrities at a private party.
Some critics accused her of behavior inappropriate for a prime minister, others defended her right to enjoy a private event. The controversy worsened when some wanted to interpret the comments in the videos as references to drug use. To "dispel any suspicion," Sanna Marin took a drug test last week, which came back negative.
"I want to believe that people will look at what we do at work rather than what we do in our free time," she pleaded on Wednesday, admitting this last week had been "pretty tough" for her.
On Tuesday, Europe's youngest prime minister made headlines again when she apologized for photos taken at her residence in July at another party. One of the images, published by Finnish media, showed two women kissing with their breasts covered by a sign that read “Finland”. “I think the photo is inappropriate, I apologize. This photo should not have been taken," Marin told reporters.
The prime minister explained that the image was taken on July 8, when a group of "friends" were at her official residence, where they enjoyed the sauna and other facilities but did not enter the house.
The photo was posted on TikTok by influencer and former Miss Finland contestant Sabina Särkkä, one of two women featured in the controversial snapshot. Shortly after, the photograph was deleted, although it was too late to stop the new scandal.
The political impact of the Finnish Partygate has so far been limited, although some allies in the ruling coalition have expressed discomfort. Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said she was "confused and tired" of having to comment on the images. While the Minister of Education, Li Andersson, expressed her desire for the conversation to return to "substantive problems". Within his party, some deputies have reminded their leader that, despite the fact that he has the support of young people, it would not be bad to remind him that, in order to win next year's elections, he needs the votes of older people, more conservative and, perhaps, less sympathetic to their longing for joy.
