Finland’s Sanna Marin takes drug test after party video is leaked

One of the world’s youngest government leaders faced calls from her own coalition, opposition to take a drug test.

Finland PM
Finland's prime minister reiterated she had never taken narcotics [Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva/ AFP/Finland OUT]

Finland’s prime minister said on Friday she had taken a drug test and reiterated she had never used illegal drugs, following the publication of video footage this week that showed her partying with friends.

Sanna Marin, 36, also said her ability to perform her official duties had remained unimpaired on the Saturday night in question and that she would have left the party had she been required to work.

The leaked video, which shows Marin dancing and partying with a group of friends and celebrities, has been shared widely on social media and local media, sparking criticism.

“In recent days, there have been quite grave public accusations that I was in a space where drugs were used, or that I myself used drugs,” Marin told a news conference.

“I consider these accusations to be very serious and, though I consider the demand for a drug test unjust, for my own legal protection and to clear up any doubts, I have taken a drug test today, the results of which will come in about a week.”

The Social Democrat leader has previously said she was “spending an evening with friends” and that the videos were “filmed in private premises”.

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She admitted to having drunk alcohol. In addition to denying taking drugs, she said she did not witness any drug use by any attendees.

“Never in my life, not even in my youth, have I ever used any drugs,” she said Friday.

Marin, who became the world’s youngest serving government leader in December 2019, had faced calls from members of her governing coalition as well as from the opposition to take a drug test after the videos emerged.

In December 2021, she came under sustained criticism after it was revealed she stayed out dancing until the early hours despite having been exposed to COVID-19.

A poll commissioned by Finnish TV channel MTV3 at the time found two-thirds of respondents thought her night out was a “serious mistake”.

Marin’s behaviour in the video has nonetheless been criticised by some as inappropriate for a prime minister, while others have defended her right to enjoy a private event with friends.

Much of the criticism has centred around the fact that she was on duty as prime minister.

At a time when Europe has been unsettled by Russia’s war in Ukraine, Marin has also faced criticism that her partying could interfere with her ability to quickly carry out her duties if a sudden crisis were to hit Finland.

“If there were to be a crisis situation, I would know about it before midnight on a Saturday evening,” she told reporters, adding that the Finnish armed forces were well equipped to anticipate any military crisis that might affect the country.

Finland, which shares a long land border with Russia, has applied along with neighbouring Sweden to join NATO following Russia’s war on Ukraine.

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Source: News Agencies

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