MP leaves alcohol debate because of politician with alcohol poisoning

helsinki - A Finnish MP had to leave a parliamentary debate on alcoholism because another politician in the building had suspected alcohol poisoning. It immediately revived the discussion.

Christen-Democrat Päivi Räsänen is not only a politician but also a graduated physician and that is why she was taken out of the hall. An eyewitness had seen a staff member puking in another room of the building. He could hardly stand on his legs after that.

According to the Finnish newspaper Aamulehti, Räsänen remained with the staff member until the ambulance took him away. 'It is rather controversial that a parliamentary discussion is underway about the disadvantages of alcohol and at the same time this happens,' she says. Furthermore, she did not want to say much about it.

Yet the details came out, after member of parliament Teuvo Hakkarainen of the right-wing populist Finns Party apologized for the 'inappropriate behavior of his colleague' towards the Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat.

Finland has the 16th highest alcohol consumption in the world according to a WHO report from 2014- and by far the highest in the Scandinavian countries.