Former US presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday, 28 August, came out in support of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who recently faced flak in her country after a video of her dancing at a party went viral and drew global attention.
Taking to Twitter, Clinton posted a photo of herself dancing in a crowded club during a trip to Columbia in 2012 while she was the secretary of state, saying, "Keep dancing, Sanna Marin."
The Finnish Prime Minister quickly replied, saying, "Thank you Hillary Clinton."
The Controversy
PM Marin recently caught the world's eye after a leaked video that showed her dancing, and partying with a group of friends, went viral.
The prime minister was slammed for her "inappropriate behaviour," following which she also had to clear a drug test. Scores had come out in Marin's support across the world, with many pointing out that male politicians have been "caught doing much worse in their private lives" but had to face way lesser criticism.
Many others extended their support and defended Marin's right to enjoy a private event with her friends.
Apart from Clinton, Australian politician Fiona Patten, Member of European Parliament Tilly Metz, and British politician Carla Denyer were among the other women in politics who took to Twitter to defend Marin using the hashtag #SolidarityWithSanna.
Responding to the criticism, Marin last week had told members of her Social Democratic Party that she too longs for "joy, light, and fun."
"I am human. And I too sometimes long for joy, light, and fun amidst these dark clouds," said Marin. She added that she had not missed "a single day of work."
After the video, Marin faced a further blow when a photo of two women lifting their tops during a party at her residence emerged. She apologised for it, saying that it was not an appropriate picture.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)