Published: Just now
It has been just over a week since the video of a dancing prime minister began to spread.
Since then, Sanna Marin has explained herself, taken a drug test, cried on stage, apologized for new pictures and managed the Prime Minister’s work.
– I think she will have to live with this scandal for a long time. This is now part of the story of Sanna Marin, says Finnish media researcher Anu Koivunen.
A few days have passed without new party photos of the Prime Minister Sanna Marin, but the debate has not yet died down.
The debate has divided a population where many distinguish between a prime minister and a private person, while others say that the prime minister is always a prime minister and should act as one under all circumstances.
The Riksdag party Sannfinländarna demands an investigation into whether the government was “functional” for a few days in July when important negotiations between Finland and Germany about the companies Uniper and Fortum were on the agenda, writes HBL.
In addition, Sanna Marin visited the Ruisrock music festival the same week that the negotiations with Germany took place.
– Now the True Finns want to say that Sanna Marin was partying instead of informing them and the Riksdag about the Uniper negotiations, says Anu Koivunen.
It was also the same party that urged the prime minister to take a drug test, which Sanna Marin did. Her test was negative, which has meant that the debate has now shifted to focus on what Sanna Marin was doing during those days in July.
– There are many who believe that it would have been political suicide for her not to take a drug test, says Anu Koivunen.
Parliamentary elections await
A few days ago, new party photos from this summer were leaked that were snapped in connection with the Prime Minister’s official residence Villa Bjälbo. This time, Sanna Marin apologized for the pictures where, among other things, two bare-breasted women posed with “public property” as some choose to see it as.
– She probably thought these pictures were inappropriate herself. There is a big difference between a party in a private residence in town and something that is connected to the Prime Minister’s official residence, says political scientist Göran Djupsund.
He further believes that the images will have little if any impact at all on Sanna Marin’s future political career.
– We have a heavy and hot political autumn and winter with a thousand big questions on the agenda, says Göran Djupsund.
A parliamentary election awaits in April 2023.
– I cannot imagine that pictures of a partying prime minister could influence a parliamentary election nine months later. Then I probably lose faith in Finnish politics and public discussion.
According to Göran Djupsund, the fact that a partying Sanna Marin caused such big headlines in Finland is to some extent due to the Prime Minister’s own persona.
– Having a young female prime minister is quite special. She has invited herself to this type of stuff by being very active on social media. There she not only poses with other prime ministers, but she also plays basketball and does push-ups.
“There are two pictures of Marin”
Anu Koivunen also believes that the war in Ukraine and subsequent energy crisis will have more space in political Finland.
At the same time, she does not believe that “partygate” will be forgotten in the first place.
– There are now two pictures of Marin in the public eye that do not add up. The partying prime minister and the controlling and very competent politician who led the country in crisis 24/7 for 2.5 years. This division will remain, says Anu Koivunen.
The fact that Sanna Marin posed and answered all the questions that were directed at her follows the way of working that she has made her signature.
– The fact that she answered all the questions has meant that we have received quite a few quotes, which are unusual for a prime minister. By answering all the questions, you can see that she has also started the debate herself, says Anu Koivunen.