Hundreds of Finnish women have posted social media films of themselves dancing and partying in support of the prime minister Sanna Marin after she became embroiled in a scandal when video emerged of her dancing at a private house party.
Film memes of the women dancing and enjoying themselves with friends posted with the hashtag solidarity with Sanna emerged after the prime minister faced criticism of her behaviour when two videos appeared in which she sings and dances at a party with friends and another enjoying herself in a private VIP room of a well-known club in Helsinki.
Critics said the films raised questions over her personal and political judgment. Claims of drug taking at the party were dismissed by the prime minister who said she had taken a drug test which would be made public when it became available to dispel the claims.
She defended herself by saying she did nothing but “dance, sing, hug my friends and drink alcohol”. “I hope that in the year 2022 it’s accepted that even decision-makers dance, sing and go to parties,” Marin, 36, said. In response, hundreds of women posted their own videos of dancing and drinking and supportive of her.
Anu Koivunen, a gender studies professor at Finland’s University of Turku, said she didn’t think gender was a decisive factor in the uproar over the leaked video. The partying itself was not a big issue, but the fact the video leaked could be viewed as a judgment lapse by the prime minister in terms of the people she surrounded herself with.
“That she didn’t restrain herself in company where she cannot trust everyone in the room,” Koivonen said. “I think that’s the main issue at the moment.”
Petteri Järvinen, a cybersecurity expert quoted by the newspaper Iltalehti on Saturday, raised the possibility Russia had hacked the phone or social accounts of someone who is part of the close circle of the Finnish premier.
