Despite his recent hiatus from active politics, Mr. Stubb is a prominent figure known for his global approach and extensive experience in various Finnish ministerial positions and diverse EU portfolios.
early life
Stubb is known for his passion for fitness and sports, including triathlons, dating back to his teenage years playing ice hockey at HIFK. Turning to golf, he played on the Finnish national golf team in high school and received a scholarship to attend Furman University in the United States.
Renowned for his linguistic repertoire, Mr. Stubbe studied French at the Sorbonne, earned a master’s degree in political science from the University of Europe, and a doctorate in international politics from the London School of Economics.
From 1995 to 1997, Alexander Stubbe was a researcher at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then at the Academy of Finland until 1999. At the same time his literary voice was also emerging, and he took on the role of columnist in 1997.
Mr. Stubb lived in Brussels from 1999 to 2001, working as a researcher for Finland’s representative in the European Union. During this time, he actively contributed to the Finnish government delegation in the intergovernmental negotiations that formed the Treaty of Nice. In 2000, he became a lecturer at the reputed European University.
political journey
A self-confessed “EU nerd”, Stubbe’s prominence resonates in Brussels. He also served as an advisor to European Commission President Romano Prodi and became a member of the Commission Working Group on the European Treaties. In 2003 he returned to Finland’s representation in the EU, this time as a special expert, actively participating in the intergovernmental negotiations on the European Constitution.
In 2004, Stubb decided to extend his influence to the European Parliament and ran as a candidate for the National Union Party.
Alexander Stubbe was appointed Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2008 following the scandal involving his predecessor, Ilka Kanerva. The unanimous decision by the Finnish government was an important step in Mr. Stubb’s political career. This term saw him support Finland’s membership in NATO, but at the same time the Russo-Georgian War broke out, during which the OSCE, under Stubb’s leadership, facilitated agreements to send military observers to conflict areas. .
However, Mr Stubb later expressed regret that he had not pushed harder for NATO membership and supported relations with Russia. His regrets indicate that Russia later illegally annexed Crimea and launched hostilities in eastern Ukraine, and failed to rein in Putin’s expansionist policies, which he had warned about during the 2008 Georgia-Russia conflict. This stems from an underestimation of the motives of Mr. Stubb acknowledged his mistakes in promoting Russia’s economic ties and supporting projects such as the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
In January 2011, Mr Stubb teamed up with EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Catherine Ashton to support hundreds of rebels who had been assaulted and imprisoned in Belarus.
Stubbe, who was elevated to prime minister and chair of the NCP in 2014, faced the challenge of managing Finland’s relations with Russia, especially in the midst of a pro-Russian separatist movement in eastern Ukraine. Despite his party losing its status as the largest party in 2015, Mr Stubb continued to champion innovative ideas, supporting experiments with basic income and hosting events on the industrial internet and IoT.
As finance minister, Stubbe faced criticism for spending cuts, but emphasized his commitment to fiscal responsibility by emphasizing structural reforms. However, dissent within the party led to him losing his leadership in 2016.
Moving into an international role, Mr. Stubbe served as Vice President of the European Investment Bank, where he led crisis management initiatives. His quest for European leadership reflected his global outlook as he sought to become President of the European Commission. Despite setbacks, Stubb’s trajectory continued as director and professor at the School of Transnational Governance in Florence.
In 2024, Mr. Stav returned to Finnish politics as the National Union Party’s presidential candidate. His popularity, as reflected in opinion polls, speaks to his lasting influence and shows him to be a dynamic politician poised to continue to make an impact on the world stage. .
presidential election
Mr. Stab announced his intention to return to domestic politics and run for president, highlighting the urgency behind his decision that the world political situation would be different or that there would be no conflict in Ukraine. emphasized. He emphasizes his strong passion for Finnish affairs.
Mr Stubb revealed that three days after the war began, he sent a text message to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, pleading with him to intervene and stop the conflict. The message conveyed a direct plea to Lavrov: “Sergei, please stop this madness. This has gone too far. Talk to him (Vladimir Putin). He will listen. But the contact with Mr. Lavrov did not continue, and Mr. Stubbe, realizing that the conflict had escalated significantly, decided to end the contact.
Alexander Stubb’s candidacy for the Coalition’s presidential nomination is marked by a formidable foreign policy pedigree. Mr. Stubbe brings a wealth of experience, having held various roles in the European Parliament, the National Assembly and in ministerial positions, and as Deputy Director of the European Investment Bank. His extensive knowledge of foreign policy solidifies his position as a strong and qualified candidate for the position.
Stubb, who is leading in Finnish presidential polls, has advocated for a Eurocentric NATO and several times suggested alignment with Western values. While he advocates Finland’s national defense independence, he also affirms Finland’s enduring partnership with the United States. Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he fully supports Ukraine and has not seen any improvement in Finnish-Russian relations.
Alexander Stubbe identifies two fundamental pillars that shape Finland’s foreign and security policy: idealism and realism. Idealism reflects a belief in true cooperation that emphasizes interdependence, even in countries like Russia and the Soviet Union. Stubb acknowledges that idealism may have been taken to extremes during the Cold War. At the same time, realism included actually maintaining that he was one of Europe’s greatest military powers.
Regarding the Middle East conflict, Mr. Stubb expressed deep concern about the escalating Gaza crisis and highlighted the risk that the crisis would turn from a local conflict into a broader regional issue. He previously condemned Hamas’ attacks on Israel and emphasized Hamas’ right to defend itself.
politics and personality
Alexander Stubbe is known as an international figure who is fluent in multiple languages and adept at navigating the international community. He frequently appears on prominent global media such as the BBC, CNN, French and Swedish media, offering his expertise on Russia and Finland’s NATO membership.
Stubbe emphasizes that culture plays an important role in maintaining resilience to psychological crises and ensuring psychological safety in Finland. Stubbe sees culture as a unifying force, emphasizing culture’s irreplaceable contribution to the strengthening of national identity, especially during the critical period of his early 20th century.
Many political commentators believe that Mr. Stubb’s great personality, energy, and communication skills make him a suitable candidate to take on world leaders such as Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi Jinping. Described as a “true believer in the post-war European ideal of close integration”, Mr Stubb is described as having a strong commitment to the values of European integration.
Stubb balances his idealism with Nordic realism, reflecting a practical and realistic approach to political issues. His politics also advocate multiculturalism, immigration, and globalization.
The presidential candidate is known worldwide for his strong internationalist and liberal stance. However, some believe that it will be difficult for him to garner broad support beyond his own party in the presidential election. His polarizing personality and his unique style may not resonate with everyone and may affect his appeal to a wider audience.
assignment
Alexander Stubbe has admitted that he made mistakes in handling security concerns related to the Nord Stream gas pipeline project. In 2009, while serving as foreign secretary, Mr Stubb dismissed security concerns in a parliamentary debate, emphasizing that the project was not a security policy issue, but rather an environmental issue. In hindsight, he realized that as a government official, he should have gone along with the government’s position even if he disagreed with it, and he admitted his mistake.
He acknowledged four misjudgments in his approach to Russia. The first one was a personal error in judgment, but it was regarding visa exemption. The second is related to the Nord Stream gas pipeline and is consistent with government policy. The third one concerns Rosatom, and Stubb said the fourth and most serious miscarriage of justice was not advocating for NATO membership with enough fervor.
During his time as prime minister, Mr Stubb was also heavily criticized for delaying the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia and for increasing energy dependence on Russia as a result of the proposed Fennovoima nuclear power plant project.
Some people perceive Mr. Stubb’s involvement in sports and social media to undermine his responsibilities. For example, he has talked about his clothing choices, such as flip-flops and shorts, at press conferences, and his tweets about triathlons and fistfights with politicians during the 2014 Ukraine crisis (which led to pay cuts in large parts of the country in 2014). After the announcement), it was criticized. He sparked controversy when he spoke at a press conference about the new collective bargaining agreement. Particularly in geopolitically sensitive situations, this raises concerns about whether such behavior is appropriate for a political leader.
As finance minister, Alexander Stubb came under fire for making a serious error when he misrepresented incorrect percentage figures in parliament. He initially said that 90 per cent of the entries in the disputed title register were positive, but subsequent verification revealed that only 10 per cent were positive. Mr. Stubb apologized multiple times throughout the week and acknowledged his mistakes.
interesting quotes
“In this geopolitical situation, the answer is clear: When our homeland calls, we go.”
“The global West is wrong to frame the new order as a battle between democracy and authoritarianism. The situation is much more complex than that. For the Global East, it is about power and managed dependencies. For the Global South, it means ownership, representation, and economic growth and development.”
“Putin is driven by nostalgia and heritage. Nostalgia for historic Russia with one language, one religion, and one leader. The legacy of a leader who ‘made Russia great again.’ Therefore, he views Belarus and Ukraine as part of Russia. It doesn’t necessarily stop there.
“Currently, the conflict between Hamas and Israel is localized. But we are in a situation where the United States is attacking forces in Syria that are supported by Iran. We did the same thing with the troops we support in Syria and Iraq.”
“While I was not a supporter of the pipeline itself, I did raise questions about security and criticized the bilateral agreement that Russia and Germany made. But I said in office that the environmental impact it would have is I said it was only in Finland. I was wrong, it was more than that. It should never have been allowed to be built.”
“Finland is one of the safest countries in Europe. We do not face any special threats. But we must understand that unfortunately the world is becoming less and less safe. To Finland We must not be lulled into a false sense of security. We must adapt to the changes.”
HT