Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has failed a drug test after a leaked video last week showed her exuberantly dancing and drinking at a party in which unsubstantiated reports claim she may have been dealing drugs.
The test was conducted on August 19 and found no narcotics, the government said in a statement on Monday. She did not provide details on what type of test was used or what it was examined for, but said the Prime Minister would pay for it herself.
A government official, Iida Vallin, told the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper that the comprehensive test examined amphetamines, barbiturates, cannabis, dextropropoxyphene, cocaine, methadone and a number of other narcotics.
Marin, 36, said at a press conference Friday that she had never taken drugs – “not even in my teenage years” – and that she had not seen any drugs being used at the Aug. 6 party. The Prime Minister said she had taken the test “for my own legal protection and to clarify any doubts”.
Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertisements and content funded by third parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Finnish media reported claims, amplified mainly by far-right and anti-government accounts, that a voice in the clip could be heard shouting “the flour gang”, allegedly a reference to drugs, but it is unclear if it was used the term not even. That means.
Marin told reporters that his ability to make important decisions in a time of heightened security had not been affected, saying that he had consumed only a moderate amount of alcohol and that he “could have left to take care of the tasks of the government” if necessary.
He said he did nothing but “dance, sing, hug my friends and drink alcohol”, adding: “I hope that in 2022 it will be accepted that even the decision makers dance, sing and go from party”. Women have posted videos of themselves dancing in support.
Opponents have said the incident raises questions not so much about the Prime Minister’s right to party, but about her judgment in choosing her friends and allowing herself to be filmed in a way that could expose her to the criticisms
Marin, who became the world’s youngest government leader in 2019, said she was aware she was being filmed but that the clips were never intended for public viewing. “What could have been done was to make sure these things didn’t leak out,” she said, adding that she was sure her friends were not responsible.