Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin To Pay Back Meal Expenses To Contain Fallout

Sanna Marin breakfast bill controversy:  Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin has pledged to pay back the controversial breakfast reimbursements she has been receiving ever since coming into power in 2019. The decision comes after an uproar and allegations that her family was using taxpayers' money for subsidised breakfasts.

On June 1, the 35-year-old leader stated that she would no longer claim any allowances that she received for breakfast and cold meal. She also pledged to pay back about 14,000 euros over the weekend that she has received ever since coming to power for the same.

"Because there are open questions regarding the meal allowance, I will pay the related costs myself," she tweeted on May 29. Marin added that she will make sure the issue is looked into and updated if necessary.

In an interview with MTV3, Marin said that she does not intend to use the money in the future. "I don't intend to use the meal allowance in future, even if it is ruled to be in line with the regulations," she said. The Finnish leader also called for officials to determine whether the allowance is legal and whether the repayments that she will give should be taxed.

A week ago, a tabloid named Iltalehti reported that Sanna Marin has been claiming back about 300 euros per month for her family's breakfasts while living at her official residence, Kesaranta. After this news, police and tax officials in the country pledged to look into the payments.

As a result, the Prime Minister's office soon made a statement announcing that the bill for breakfast and other cold meals at the residence was around 845 euros a week. Marin tweeted, "As Prime Minister, I have not asked for this benefit nor been involved in deciding on it," at the time.

The opposition party soon lined up to call out the Finnish Prime Minister for use of the meals perk. Reportedly, the criticism comes with that it will affect the results of the local elections scheduled to happen in the next two weeks.

Who is Sanna Marin?

Marin, the leader of Finland's Social Democratic Party, is the youngest Prime Minister in the world. She has enjoyed a high level of public support ever since coming to office in December 2019. Her leadership has also been often credited with Finland's situation of maintaining one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in Europe. Read more about her political career here.