Two veteran politicians will face off in Finland’s presidential election on Sunday, as the role of the president grows in importance in light of Finland’s NATO membership and rising tensions with neighboring Russia.
Some 4.3 million voters will have to choose between former Conservative Prime Minister Alexander Stubbe and former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, a Green Party lawmaker who is running as an independent.
The changing geopolitical situation in Europe is a major concern for the new head of state, who, although his powers are more limited than the prime minister, will lead foreign policy together with the government and also serve as commander-in-chief of the Finnish armed forces. It will be. Power.
Finland ended its decades-long military non-alignment relationship and joined NATO in April 2023 after relations between Moscow and Helsinki soured following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Russia, which shares a 1,340km border with Finland, immediately warned of “countermeasures”.
“The fact that we have joined NATO is very important, because the building of the NATO institution in Finland and what it will look like will be primarily the task of the new president.” said Teodora Helimaki, a postdoctoral researcher. The University of Helsinki told AFP.
“The top two were probably the most experienced in terms of foreign policy,” he added of the first round.
– Wireless sealing –
In the first round of voting on January 28, Mr. Stubbe came in first place with 27.2% of the votes, and Mr. Harvist came in a close second with 25.8% of the votes, earning him the right to participate in the second round.
In a poll released Thursday by public broadcaster Yale, Mr. Stubb received 54% of the vote, compared to 46% for Mr. Hervist.
After the Cold War, Helsinki maintained good relations with Moscow.
President Sauli Niinistö, who was first elected in 2012 and is leaving office, once took pride in his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but has since become one of Putin’s harshest critics. .
Niinistö contacted him directly and announced his decision to join NATO.
There has been radio silence since then, with neither candidate expecting a call from the Kremlin if they win the election.
In August 2023, Finland observed an influx of migrants entering the country through its eastern border without visas.
Helsinki closed its borders in November in response to claims that the Russian government was pressuring migrants to destabilize security, a move supported by both candidates.
Stubbe and Haavisto, both former foreign ministers, share a similar vision of the country’s position toward Russia, calling for more sanctions against Russia and aid for Ukraine.
“The European Union can do more to support Ukraine,” Haavisto said in a televised debate Thursday night.
“Ukraine’s path is our path and now they are fighting for the freedom of Europeans. They are entitled to all the support we can give them,” Stubbe agreed. did.
– Nuclear weapons –
For Helimäki, the differences between the candidates come down to nuances on specific issues, such as the storage and transportation of nuclear weapons in Finland.
Haavisto acknowledged that, as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Nordic country must participate in exercises related to the alliance’s nuclear policy, but said he did not want to place them on Finnish soil. I do not want.
Meanwhile, Stubbe feels that “no part” of NATO’s nuclear deterrent should be eliminated.
Matti Pes, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said voters are likely to make decisions based on political preferences as there are no major differences in foreign policy.
“Stubbe’s liberalism is associated with Western organizations and Western values, whereas Hervist is more focused on the global side, such as the United Nations, peace and development,” Pes told AFP. Told.
In terms of personality, Mr. Stubbe comes across as “a kind of modern politician, quite open-spoken,” while Mr. Haavisto is “a more traditional, more cautious Finnish politician.”
Voter turnout in the first round was 75%, with polling stations opening at 9 a.m. local time (7 p.m. Japan time) and closing at 8 p.m. (18 p.m. Japan time).
anh-cbw-jll/giv