Row over Finnish PM partying is needless

A leaked video of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin partying and dancing with friends at a gathering in a private residence last week has divided popular opinion in the Nordic country and the word. But others, including rights groups and citizens, argued that the row was contrived and that in addition to being the nation’s leader, Ms Marin was also a citizen who was entitled to personal time and that criticism directed at her smacked of sexism. This is especially true for politicians and national leaders who often lean on carefully curated images to court voters; but outrage at a leader enjoying a moment of levity is misdirected and counterproductive. So long as Ms Marin didn’t break any laws – she offered to voluntarily take a drug test this week to dispel allegations that she was under the influence of substances when the video was shot – she deserves to be judged only by the delivery of her promises to the electorate and her governance record.