Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, is the talk of the tabloids.
A viral video shows her dancing and singing at a private party with friends, seemingly having the time of her life. A second video emerged only hours later, showing the PM, who is married and dancing in the arms of – shock, horror – a man who just happens to not be her husband. Cue moral outrage.
On Tuesday, Marin apologised, after photos were posted online showing two topless women kissing (more shock, horror). They were apparently guests of the prime minister, having attended a party last month at her official residence in Helsinki. Marin felt compelled to state that she was not personally involved in any acts of intimacy with the women.
“We had (a) sauna, swam and spent time together,” Marin said. “That kind of a picture should not have been taken, but otherwise nothing extraordinary happened at the get-together.”
Marin seems to have developed – whether she chooses it or not – a “work hard, party hard” image. When she became prime minister of Finland in December 2019, she was, at 34, one of the world’s youngest heads of state. She appeared to have a sense of being, and a confidence beyond her years. The country was won over.
So far during her leadership, Marin has steered Finland through the Covid crisis and confidently responded to Moscow’s increased posturing, as Helsinki applies for Nato membership in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. According to opinion polls, Finland believes in Sanna Marin, with confidence in her leadership running as high as 80%.
#SolidarityWithSanna
With her rock and roll attitude, Marin has increasingly become a character of interest globally. Germany’s Bild newspaper awarded her the title of “the world’s coolest politician”. But Marin’s lifestyle has also attracted criticism.
Last year, a photo emerged of her dancing in a crowded nightclub, despite having been in contact the previous day with another minister who had tested positive for Covid. Marin herself tested negative, but she told the press that she had used “poor judgment” by not isolating. “I did wrong. I should have considered the situation more carefully,” she said in a subsequent interview.
“Solidarity with Sanna”
Women in Finland are posting videos of themselves partying while tagging Prime Minister Sanna Marin. pic.twitter.com/Bl1M4r0bky
— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) August 20, 2022
Shortly after taking up her post as leader, Marin caused uproar by doing a magazine photoshoot while wearing a blazer without a shirt underneath. The cover story, in which she spoke about the demands of public life and the challenges of balancing work and family, led to an outpouring of support on social media. Women (and men) posted their own similar portraits, using the hashtag #I’mWithSanna.
Now, following the latest criticism, women in Finland and across Scandinavia are posting videos of themselves dancing with abandon, using the hashtags #SolidarityWithSanna and #IStandWithSanna.
‘I hope that in the year 2022 it’s accepted that even decision-makers dance, sing and go to parties’
The controversy has led to a few of Marin’s critics questioning her behaviour, with opponents suggesting that illegal drugs might have been used at the party. In response, the PM underwent a voluntary drug test, the results of which were (surprise, surprise) negative.
Marin told journalists: “I hope that in the year 2022 it’s accepted that even decision-makers dance, sing and go to parties… I didn’t wish for any images to be spread, but it’s up to the voters to decide what they think about it.”
She went on to say that she had always been at “full work capacity”, even when she was partying. “I spent a night with my friends. We just partied, also in a boisterous way. I danced and sang.”
Wouldn’t a UK leader like Sanna Marin be a breath of fresh air?
“I stand with Sanna” appears to be the consensus among the Finnish people, most of whom seem unfazed by the attempts to stir up a scandal. Many believed initially that such a young woman would struggle to hold her own in the cut-throat world of politics which, on the world stage, is often dominated by grey-suited, grey-haired men.
Sanna Marin has more than held her own, and she has fundamentally proved her critics wrong. She is highly competent and dedicated.
Our heartfelt congratulations to #Ukraine and heroic Ukrainians on your national day. You are brave and unyielding. We stand with you. We won’t look away. We won’t forget Ukraine and its people. Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/aQKXdKlthv
— Sanna Marin (@MarinSanna) August 24, 2022
Personally, I think Marin is a bit of a role model, showing us that, as a woman and a mother, work-life balance is important. She shows us that politicians are human, even likeable.
She can work hard AND party. It’s not a balance we necessarily see in the UK, but I’m sure many of us – south of the border, at least – would welcome having an honest, competent politician in charge, who could also unapologetically let their hair down (as appropriate).
After the lying, irresponsible attitude we’ve seen from 10 Downing Street, sneaking in suitcases full of wine and partying through lockdown while the rest of us were isolated from friends and family, wouldn’t a leader like Sanna Marin be a breath of fresh air? I, for one, would dance to that.
Donna McLean is originally from Ayrshire and is a mum of twins, writer and activist
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