Finland PM Sanna Marin apologizes for 'inappropriate' party photo
By Matt Bernardini

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has been criticized for a photo depicting a party that was held in July, leading some critics to say she may have an excessive party lifestyle. Photo courtesy of Government of FInland


Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin apologized on Tuesday for an "inappropriate" photo that was taken by her friends and posted on social media this week.

Marin, who's faced criticism for the image, explained that it was taken at her home following a music festival in early July.

It shows two women kissing and covering their bare chest with a sign that says, "Finland."

Marin, 36, has been criticized for having an excessive party lifestyle.

"In my opinion that photo is not appropriate, I apologize for that," Marin said, according to YLE News. "That photo shouldn't have been taken."

Marin does not appear in the photo and she's said that her friends were using sauna facilities and were not inside of her residence.

The photo was taken after the Ruisrock music festival in Finland in July, but were posted to social media only recently.

Many women who support Marin have been posting videos of themselves dancing on social media, with the tag #SolidarityWithSanna.

The dancing supporters are showing solidarity to call out what they see as unfair and sexist treatment of Marin, who became Finland's prime minister in 2019. She is the youngest prime minister in Finland's history and the third-youngest leader in the world.

"It seems like certain people still today have a hard time comprehending the fact that you can be both a young woman ... and a competent politician at the same time," supporter Rikke Dal Stottrup told The Washington Post.