One world leader recently received sharp backlash for partying while another was cheered for chugging a beer.
What happened and why was there a discrepancy in the reception of the partying politicians?
Last week, video of Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin surfaced of the 36-year-old politician partying with friends. The photos received immediate backlash from members of the opposing parliament and others in her home country claiming her behavior was “irresponsible and unbecoming of a prime minister,” according to USA Today.
This week, a video of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese went viral showing Albanese chugging a beer at a concert while the audience applauded him, per The Guardian.
What did Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin say about the party photo?
Marin has apologized twice after being called out for partying claims in the last month. Last week, a video showed the prime minister “drinking and dancing exuberantly” at a private party. Rumors swirled that drugs were on the premises during the party, per The Guardian.
She says she has never tried illicit drugs and took a drug test on Monday, which turned up negative.
“This week has not been easy. It has been difficult,” Marin said in a speech Wednesday, per the New York Post. “But I want to believe that people look at the work we do, not what we do in our free time.”
While Marin does have many detractors, some even demanding she resign over the allegations, women in Finland have started posting photos of themselves using the #StandWithSanna in solidarity with the prime minister, per The Independent.
What happened with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese drinking?
On Monday night, Albanese attended a Gangs of Youth Concert in Australia, and he “briefly stole the show as he downed his beer to raucous applause and pointed at the empty cup for his audience,” according to The Washington Post.
In Sydney, the prime minister has become something of an icon, with a local brewery putting out a limited edition beer in his name and honor.
Recent polls have also shown that three months after his election, the progressive partying prime minister is experiencing surging popularity, per The Sydney Morning Herald.