Former PM Alexander Stubb wins Finnish presidency, narrowly defeating ex-top diplomat Pekka Haavisto

Former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb received Finland’s election runoff Sunday towards ex-International Minister Pekka Haavisto in a detailed race for the presidency and the duty of steering the Nordic nation’s international and safety coverage now that it’s a member of NATO, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

With all votes counted, center-right candidate Stubb of the Nationwide Coalition Celebration had 51.6% of the votes, whereas impartial candidate Haavisto from the inexperienced left received 48.4% of the votes.

The 55-year-old Stubb, who was prime minister from 2014 to 2015 and began his political profession as a lawmaker on the European Parliament in 2004, will turn out to be the thirteenth president of Finland because the Nordic nation’s independence from the Russian empire in 1917.

Haavisto conceded defeat after a projection by the Finnish public broadcaster YLE displaying a win for Stubb was launched Sunday evening. He shook Stubb’s hand and congratulated him at Helsinki Metropolis Corridor, the place the candidates and the media have been watching the outcomes are available in.

The months-long election marketing campaign was well mannered and non-confrontational consistent with consensus-driven Finnish politics with no below-the-belt assaults from any of the candidates — one thing that Stubb famous in his speech to Haavisto.

“This has been a fair, great race,” Stubb advised Haavisto after the end result was clear. “I’m proud that I have been able to run with you in these elections. Thanks for a good race.”

Stubb and Haavisto, 65, have been the primary contenders within the election the place over 4 million eligible voters picked a successor to massively in style President Sauli Niinistö, whose second six-year time period expires in March. He wasn’t eligible for reelection.

Sunday’s runoff was required as a result of not one of the authentic 9 candidates received greater than half of the votes within the Jan. 28 first spherical. Stubb emerged on the high with 27.3%, with Haavisto the runner-up with 25.8%.

A number of polls indicated Stubb, who has additionally served as Finland’s international, finance and European affairs minister, was the favourite to win the presidency.

Preliminary voter turnout was 70.7%, markedly decrease than throughout the first voting spherical when it was 75%.

Not like in most European international locations, the president of Finland holds government energy in formulating international and safety coverage along with the federal government, particularly regarding international locations outdoors the European Union resembling america, Russia and China.

In the course of the election marketing campaign, Stubb and Haavisto largely agreed on Finland’s international coverage and safety priorities. These embody sustaining a tough line towards Moscow and Russia’s present management, strengthening safety ties with Washington, and the necessity to assist Ukraine each militarily and at a civilian stage. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (832-mile) border with Russia.

The pinnacle of state additionally instructions the army — significantly necessary in Europe’s present safety setting and the modified geopolitical state of affairs of Finland, which joined NATO in April 2023 within the aftermath of Russia’s assault on Ukraine a 12 months earlier.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the many first international dignitaries to ship “sincere congratulations” to Stubb, a staunch supporter of Kyiv, on his win.

Zelenskyy mentioned in a message on X, previously generally known as Twitter, that “Ukraine and Finland, in solidarity with other partners, are strengthening the security of the entire Europe and each nation on our continent. I look forward to advancing our relations and our shared vision of a free, united, and well-defended Europe.”

The Finnish president is anticipated to stay above the fray of day-to-day politics and largely to remain out of home political disputes.

Haavisto was Finland’s high diplomat in 2019-2023 and the primary negotiator of its entry into NATO. A former battle mediator with the United Nations and a passionate environmentalist, this was his third bid for the presidency.