Opinion polls on Sunday showed center-right candidate Alexander Stubb and Liberal Party candidate Pekka Haavisto emerging as the top presidential candidates. Mr Stubb narrowly led the vote with 27.2% support, followed by Mr Hervist with 25.8% support. The presidential election run-off is scheduled to be held on February 11, 2024.
Alexander Stubbe and Pekka Haavisto emerge as the frontrunners for the presidential nomination in the second round on February 11th
Helsinki: Finland heads to the polls on Sunday, January 28, 2024, amid heightened tensions with Russia and the first year of its NATO membership. Opinion polls on Sunday showed center-right candidate Alexander Stubb and Liberal Party candidate Pekka Haavisto emerging as the top presidential candidates.
Mr Stubb narrowly led the vote with 27.2% support, followed by Mr Hervist with 25.8% support. Since neither candidate secured a majority, Mr. Stubbe and Mr. Harvist will advance to a second election. The Finnish presidential runoff election is scheduled for February 11, 2024.
Finnish citizens elect the country’s president for a six-year term. Incumbent President Sauli Niinistö is serving a maximum of two terms and is not eligible to run for election.
With no candidate receiving a clear majority, the presidential term will begin on March 1, 2024, after a run-off election on February 11.
Voting took place Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Turnout in Finland was 74.9%, up from 69.9% in the 2018 presidential election.
In Europe, presidents tend to have a ceremonial role. However, in Finland the president is the supreme commander of the military and helps direct foreign policy with the government. President Niinistö is credited with having Finland join NATO.
Finland’s presidential election also comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the Baltic states. Relations between Moscow and Helsinki hit a rock after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Finland, which prided itself on military non-alignment, broke a record and joined the NATO alliance in the midst of a Russian invasion. Russia, which shares a 1,340-kilometre-long border with Finland, warned its neighbor of the consequences.