Finland’s young prime minister says she has taken a drug test to prove she does not take illegal substances after being filmed dancing in a “boisterous way” at a party with a Finnish pop star.
A video posted on social media showed six people dancing and mimicking a song in front of a camera, including Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin, 36.
While insisting she did nothing wrong by letting her hair down, Ms Marin has taken the next step to prove she does not dabble in drugs.
At a press conference Ms Marin said she had taken a drug test and the results were expected next week.
“I did nothing illegal,” she told reporters in Helsinki.
“Even in my teenage years I have not used any kind of drugs.”
Ms Marin earlier said she was disappointed that the video from a private gathering had been made public.
In the footage she is also seen on her knees on what seems to be the dance floor with her arms behind her head dancing while mimicking a song.
“I spent the evening with friends. Partied, pretty wild, yes. Danced and sang,” she was quoted as saying by Finnish broadcaster YLE.
“I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol.
“I’ve danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things. I have also not been in a situation where I would know that others are doing it that way,” Ms Marin added, according to the Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper.
It was unclear when the party, also attended by the Finnish singer Alma, was held.
Ms Marin — who in December 2019 became Finland’s youngest prime minister — said she spends her free time with friends just like others her age and that she intends to continue being the same person as before.
“I hope that’s accepted. We live in a democracy and in elections everyone can decide these issues,” she said, according to YLE.
Critics have pointed out that Finland, which shares a 1340 kilometre land border with Russia, faces high electricity prices, among other issues from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The country recently dropped its long-neutral stance and asked to join NATO.
In July, Ms Marin attended a popular Finnish rock festival. In December, she made a public apology after going out clubbing until 4am without her work phone, hence failing to be informed that she had been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person. She did not test positive.
