HELSINKI (Reuters) - A Finnish court on Wednesday dismissed charges against the prime ministers former girlfriend, who wrote a kiss and tell autobiography about their brief affair.
Susan Ruusunens book, "Prime Ministers Bride," detailed the nine month fling she had with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen in 2006 after meeting him on an Internet dating site.
Vanhanen initially filed a complaint only against the publisher of the book, and prosecutors then brought criminal charges against both the publisher and Ruusunen, a mother of three, for violation of privacy and gaining financial gain through criminal activity.
The court ruled that publishing details of Vanhanens personal life was not illegal because there was a different threshold for privacy for politicians in the public eye.
The book and resulting court case sparked vigorous debate in the Nordic country over what the media can publish on the private lives of public figures.
A survey carried out by broadcaster YLE showed 42 percent of Finns were in favor of Vanhanen take legal action, while a similar number were opposed.
The Helsinki district court said in its ruling: "The description is partly very detailed, but primarily delicate and compassionate."
But the decision was not unanimous and nor is the saga over. The court dropped the charges only after the judge and three jurors split the vote 2-2, and Vanhanen plans to appeal the decision, broadcaster YLE said.
After Vanhanen dumped her by text message, Ruusunen poured her heart out to local media about the way she was treated.
Vanhanen, a divorced father of two, was hailed as Finlands sexiest man by French President Jacques Chirac in 2006.
(Reporting by Sami Torma; Editing by Alastair Sharp)
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