Both candidates in the second round are well known outside Brussels and the capital region. Mr. Stubb was a member of parliament before becoming foreign minister and then prime minister, while Mr. Haavisto played a key role alongside Mr. Niinistö last year in preparing Finland’s path to NATO membership. .
Analysts say the days leading up to the second round will be a critical one for both candidates as they compete for the loyalty of right-wing voters who supported Halaaho and centrist Oli Lane, who won 15.3% in the first round. I expected it to be intense.
“In the future, these will be examined in more detail and evaluated against each other in an unprecedented way,” Åsa von Scholz, a political scientist at the University of Helsinki, said in a panel discussion on Finnish state broadcaster Yell on Sunday night. ” he said. .
Mr. Stubb is well-versed in international affairs and is seen as a high-profile, confident politician. But he has at times been criticized for being brusque, and once had to apologize after being accused of swearing at a meeting of the Nordic Council, a regional cooperation group.
Mr. Haavisto has a long track record in foreign policy. Although he is often less forceful than Stubb in his arguments, he is regarded as a quietly capable operator.
Both candidates represent Finland’s mainstream political parties, with Mr Stubb a long-time member of the centre-right National Union Party and Mr Haavisto a member of the centre-left Green Party.