London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 16, 2026

Finland’s PM Sanna Marin takes drug test after party ‘to clear up doubts’

Leaked videos show leader drinking at event at which unconfirmed reports claim drugs may have been taken by others

Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin, has said she has taken a drug test after videos were leaked showing her dancing and drinking during a private party at which some reports have suggested drugs may have been consumed.

Marin, 36, told reporters she was tested on Friday and the results would be available in a week’s time. She said she had never taken drugs, “not even in my teenage years”, and had taken the test “for my own legal protection and to clear up any doubts”.

Other guests in the video, reportedly filmed on Saturday 6 August, two days after the prime minister cancelled a planned holiday and declared herself on duty for the weekend, included well-known TV and radio hosts, influencers and a singer.

Finnish media have reported claims, amplified on social media by far-right and anti-government accounts, that a voice on the clip can be heard shouting “the flour gang”, supposedly a reference to narcotics, but there is no certainty the term was used.

Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin (l), with friends. She says she is unaware of any drug use at party on 6 August and says she herself has never taken drugs.


Marin said that to the best of her knowledge no drugs had been consumed at the party. “As far as I know, I have never been in such a situation,” she said. “On the night shown in the video footage, I didn’t see anyone using drugs.”

Asked whether she had been in a fit state to take important decisions at a time of heightened security, Marin said her “ability to function was really good”. If the need had arisen, “I could have left to take care of work tasks in the evening”, she said.

She described her alcohol consumption as “moderate” and said she had drunk only mild alcoholic drinks at the party. “I walked normally from the restaurant to the car and went home, and woke up feeling normal the next morning,” she said.

Questioned about a possible compromise of national security, Marin, who was the world’s youngest prime minister when she was elected in 2019, said she could “always be reached by phone, and always be reached by security personnel”.

The authoritative daily Helsingin Sanomat said in an editorial on Friday that prime ministers were entitled to relax, there was no evidence Marin had broken the law, and that experts it had consulted concluded there was no risk to national security.

The Finnish people would be able to say what they thought of Marin’s policies and her style, it said. “The institution of prime minister changes over time, and there is no one right way for government to act,” it said. “Elections are next spring.”

Marin insisted she spent most of her time working, and videos such as this gave a “distorted” view of how she spent her time. “My entire term as prime minister has been a time of crisis and things have been reasonably well taken care of,” she said.

The videos were “private, not intended for public viewing”, she said, adding that she was sure other material existed. “I feel like footage is shot all the time, everywhere, and it doesn’t feel good,” she said. “Even normal things are made to look bad.”

Asked if she could have done anything differently, she said she hoped that in 2022 it was possible for people in her position to enjoy their free time and dance with friends. “I trust people understand free time and work time can be separated,” she said.

But with hindsight, she added, “what could have been done was to take care that such things would not be leaked to the public. Yes, I want to trust people. Yes, I trust my friends. I trust and know that my friends have not leaked these clips.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Western Allies Urge Restraint as Israel Weighs Expanded Ground Operation in Lebanon
Trump Warns NATO Faces ‘Very Bad’ Future Without Stronger Allied Support in Iran Conflict
UK Minister Says Britain Not Bound to Support Every Demand From U.S. President
Starmer Tells Trump Britain Will Not Be Drawn Into Wider Iran War
Starmer Tells Trump Britain Will Not Be Drawn Into Wider Iran War
UK Set to Introduce Steel Tariffs of Up to 50 Percent in New Industrial Strategy
European Governments Decline Trump’s Call to Send Warships to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Fears Over Iran Conflict Weigh on UK Consumer Confidence
Starmer Says UK Working With Allies on Hormuz Shipping Plan After Trump Raises Pressure
Iran War and Energy Shock Shake Britain’s Economy and Political Debate
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak at UK University Leaves Two Dead and Several Seriously Ill
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak at UK University Leaves Two Dead and Several Seriously Ill
King Charles and Queen Camilla Share Personal Tributes to Their Mothers on UK Mother’s Day
Prince William Honors Princess Diana with Mother’s Day Tribute
UK Economy Stalls in January as Households Cut Back on Eating Out
AI-Generated Singer Becomes Viral Voice for Iranians With New Anthem
London Private Club Founder Plans Exclusive Palm Beach Venue Near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
Ed Davey Urges Britain to Build Fully Independent Nuclear Missile Capability
What the UK Covid Inquiry Is and How It Investigates Britain’s Pandemic Response
What the UK Covid Inquiry Is and How It Investigates Britain’s Pandemic Response
US Treasury Links British Polo Patrons to Alleged Venezuelan Oil Proceeds Laundering Scheme
Hundreds Gather in London Despite Ban on Annual Pro-Palestinian March
Two Dead and Multiple Students Seriously Ill After Invasive Meningitis Outbreak at UK University
UK Considers Deploying Ships and Mine-Hunting Drones to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Starmer and Trump Discuss Urgent Need to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Visit Draws Mixed Reaction From Local Communities
Trump Calls on France and UK to Help Safeguard Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Boris Johnson Labels Bitcoin a ‘Ponzi Scheme’, Sparking Debate in Crypto World
UK Considers Targeted Aid for Vulnerable Households as Energy Costs Rise
Stellantis Urges Immediate Review of UK Electric Vehicle Sales Targets
Home Office Reverses Course to Allow Some Dual Nationals to Enter UK Using EU Passports
Reform UK Proposes Replacing Top Civil Servants With Officials Aligned to Government Agenda
Netflix Adds Critically Acclaimed ‘Best Film of 2025’ With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
‘The Sums Don’t Add Up’: UK Farmers Hit by Soaring Costs as Iran War Disrupts Global Supplies
Confidential UK Biobank Health Records Found Online After Researchers Accidentally Expose Data
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
×