Finland elects president amid tensions with Russia

Finns headed to the polls on January 28 to elect a new president. The president’s importance has increased as tensions with neighboring Russia have increased since the invasion of Ukraine.

Although the president’s powers are limited, the head of state, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the Finnish armed forces, works with the government to help direct foreign policy, and changes in the geopolitical situation in Europe are key for the winners. This means that it is of great interest.

The nine-candidate group is led by two top politicians: Conservative former prime minister Alexander Stubb and former Green Party foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, who is running as an independent.

Just behind the front-runner is Jussi Halaaho of the far-right Finland Party, who experts believe could also advance to the second round.

Voting will open at 9am (7am GMT) and close at 8pm.

said voter Hannu Kushti. AFP This country needs a president with leadership and humanity.

“Of course we have to be tough when we need to be,” he added.

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 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Finland, immediately warned of “countermeasures.”

independent and ally

By August 2023, Finland observed an influx of migrants entering the country through its eastern border without visas.

Helsinki claimed Moscow was pushing hybrid attacks on migrants to destabilize and Finland closed its eastern border in November.

“We are now in a situation where Russia, especially President Vladimir Putin, is using humans as weapons,” Stubb said in the final televised debate.

“This is an immigration issue and a callous and cynical measure. In that case, we must prioritize the safety of Finland,” he added.

Main rival Haavisto stressed that Finland needed to “send a clear message to Russia that this cannot continue”.

After the Cold War, Helsinki maintained good relations with Moscow.

Incumbent President Sauli Niinistö, who is retiring after two six-year terms, was proud of his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but has since become one of Putin’s harshest critics. became.

Against this backdrop, all presidential candidates are defending both Finland’s independence and its new role as a NATO member, said Hanna Wass, deputy dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki.

“They all seem to have strong ideas that emphasize self-sufficiency. In the future Finland should be independently responsible for its defense and actively contribute to the building of a shared European defense and Nordic cooperation. ” Wass said. AFP.

Tuomas Forsberg, a foreign policy professor at Tampere University, said a similar stance would lead to more emphasis on candidate character in elections.

“This is more about selecting an individual, and we’re going to look at that person’s credibility and trustworthiness and their perceived qualities as a foreign policy leader,” Forsberg said.

similar view

According to a public opinion poll released by public broadcaster Yell, in the first round of voting, Stubb came in first with 27% of the votes, followed by Haavisto in second place with 23% and Halaaho with 18%.

Stubbe served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015, and Pekka Haavisto held several cabinet positions.

“Both men have extensive experience in both domestic and international politics, which voters seem to value most,” Wass said.

Forsberg noted that although Haavisto and Stubbe share similar political views, they represent different backgrounds.

“Their backgrounds and values ​​are seen as completely different, because even though Harvist tries to emphasize that he has no red spots and is choosing a middle path, Alex is more of a “Because it represents the right, and Harvist represents the left, as the Green Party,” Forsberg said.

He added that the election debate could prove decisive in the second round of voting between the two candidates, which will take place on February 11 unless more than 50% of candidates vote.