The story so far: Barely a week after facing backlash for videos her partying, 36-year-old Finnish PM Sanna Marin is under fire for a picture showing two women kissing, lifting their tops to bare their torsos and covering their breasts with a sign that says “Finland”, as per AP.

Confirming that the picture was taken at her official residence in Kesaranta after a music festival on July 8-10, Ms. Marin said, “In my opinion, that photo is not appropriate, I apologize for that. That photo shouldn’t have been taken”. The photo, though not featuring Marin, was taken in a bathroom at her official residence following a music festival in Kesaranta (northern Helsinki) in early July.

Later on Wednesday, while addressing a crowd in the southern Finland town of Lathi, the Finnish PM broke down saying that she was human and never failed to attend to a single work task because she took time off.

“I am a human being. I sometimes also long for joy, light and pleasure in the midst of these dark clouds…It’s private, it’s joy and it’s life. I didn’t miss a single day of work,” said Ms. Marin adding, “This week has not been easy. It has been difficult. But I want to believe that people look at the work we do, not what we do in our free time.”

What was the controversy over Marin partying?

In mid-August, videos of Ms. Marin partying with well-known Finnish influencers and artists began circulating in social media and were later published by several media outlets in Finland. In the video, Ms. Marin is seen drinking and dancing along with her friends to Finnish music. According to Nordic News, the video also featured several influential Finnish figures like singer Alma, TV host Tinni Wikstrom and YouTuber Ilona Ylikorpi.

Once the video went viral on social media, speculation began that drugs were being consumed at the party. According to several Finnish media outlets, the lack of any alcohol bottles and the talk of ‘flour’ (a way to referto drugs) by someone in the video raised the question of drug usage. However, while Ms. Marin acknowledged that she and her friends celebrated in a “boisterous way”, she said that, as per her knowledge, no drugs were involved.

Backlash, support and concerns about security

With many Opposition leaders and Ms. Marin’s own coalition partners demanding she take a drug test, the Finnish PM underwent one on August 19. She vowed that she had never done drugs and that her ability to perform her official duties had remained unimpaired on the night in question.

“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 said in a press conference.  

She added, “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.”

Moreover, several analysts speculated that the leak of the Finnish PM’s private video posed a security risk as Finland has applied to be a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

Speaking to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Jarno Limnell, a cybersecurity expert and politician for Finland’s conservative National Coalition Party said, “Information is gathered from a variety of sources, and even seemingly trivial pieces of information can be significant to a foreign power. Top decision-makers are under close watch during the NATO ratification process.”

On the other hand, several other leaders and Finnish women have slammed the criticism against Ms. Marin,highlighting that it reeked of misogyny. Pointing out that British PM Boris Johnson had not apologized for hosting a party at 10 Downing Street, breaking COVID-19 rules, several women came out in support of Ms. Marin. Many have posted videos of themselves partying under the hashtag ‘solidarity with Sanna’ while tagging the 36-year-old leader. 

On August 28, Ms. Marin also received support from former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who posted a photo of herself partying. She wrote, “Here’s me in Cartagena while I was there for a meeting as Secretary of State.. Keep dancing, @marinsanna.”.

Marin’s previous partying row

In December 2020, Ms. Marin had courted another row when she went clubbing until 4 a.m. and missed a text message from her security personnel advising her to avoid social contacts due to her proximity to someone infected with COVID-19. She said that she didn’t see the message because she had left her phone at home. Apologising for the same, she later tested negative for the virus.

According to Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat, with a general election scheduled next year, frustration is growing among members of Ms. Marin’s Social Democratic Party. While there have been no calls for Ms. Marin’s resignation, some members were critical of her judgment amid the war in Ukraine and Finland’s pending bid to join NATO – reminding the young leader that Finland still is a relatively conservative country, especially outside the capital region.

World’s youngest Prime Minister

In 2019, at the age of 34, Sanna Marin had created history after being sworn in as the world’s youngest prime minister at the helm of a government led by women. Ms.Marin heads a coalition government in which four of the five parties are led by women and 12 of the 19 members in her cabinet are women.

When being sworn in she defended her frequent use of social media saying, “I present a younger generation but of course, when it comes to social media or Instagram, I think that I’m an individual, a person, a real person even though I’m a prime minister. So I won’t change the way I behave. Of course I have to be careful in what I say”.

She has been lauded for her steadfast handling of the COVID-19 crisis and Finland’s NATO bid.