Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Friday said she took a drug test to appease critics after an uproar caused by leaked video footage showing her partying.
Marin held a news conference following the release of a second video showing her “dancing closely” with local pop star Olavi Uusivirta, according to the BBC. A video of the same party released on Thursday showed Marin alongside five people dancing and singing, according to The Associated Press.
“I have taken a narcotics test today, the results of which will be available in about a week,” Marin told reporters, according to Politico Europe.
“Even in my teenage years, I haven’t used any kind of drugs. I took the tests just to be sure” to erase any suspicions, Marin continued.
“I wish we lived in a society where my word could be trusted. But when suspicions like this are raised here, that’s why I took these tests,” she said, according to Bloomberg.
An opposition MP called on Marin to get tested for drugs, according to CNN.
The Finnish prime minster also pushed back against questions about her fitness to serve, when asked if her partying could have interfered with her responsibilities at a time when the country’s relationship with Russia has soured amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“The State Council is always functional, and meetings are not called in the middle of the night,” Marin said, according to Politico.
She added: “If you need to reach me, I am always ready to do work.”
Finland, along with Sweden, has applied to join NATO, a move Putin warned against. NATO has already signed the nations’ accession protocols, according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this week, Finland announced it will restrict the number of Russians who can obtain a visa after an influx of Russian tourists using Helsinki’s airport to cross into Europe, according to Reuters. Most European countries do not allow planes from Russia to enter their airspace.
Marin said she was disappointed that people shared footage from the party, even though she knew she was being filmed.
“I trust that people understand that leisure time and work time can be separated,” Marin said, according to the BBC.
After the first video leaked on Thursday, Marin defended her behavior.
“Partied, pretty wild, yes. Danced and sang,” Marin said, according to Finnish broadcaster YLE, as cited by AP. All of it, she said, were “perfectly legal things.”
Marin has maintained she will spend her free time as she did before she took on the prime ministerial role.
“I hope that’s accepted. We live in a democracy and in elections everyone can decide these issues,” Marin said, according to YLE.
