Finland The search for a new president for the head of State begins this Sunday, which will leave the experienced and conservative one vacant Sauli Niinistö. It will likely require two rounds, since nine candidates are running for office, of which the two with the most votes will go to a runoff. The elections take place amid tensions with its neighbor Russiaafter the war with Ukraine and the entry into the NATO.
Around 4.5 million citizens can elect the new head of state of Finland who will replace the very popular President Sauli Niinisto, whose term will end in March and cannot stand for re-election.
Finland elects president and renews authorities
All candidates defend the independence of Finland and its new role as a member of NATO. If no candidate obtains 50% of the votes this Sunday, a second round will be held on February 11.
Two well-known politicians appear as favorites among the nine candidates: former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, of conservative extraction, and former Prime Minister Pekka Haavisto, of the Green Party, running as an independent.
Behind him is the far-right candidate Jussi Halla-aho, who also has a chance of making it to the second round. The polls will close at 8 p.m. (3 p.m. in Argentina), reported the AFP news agency.
As in most European countries with a parliamentary form of government, the President of Finland is the head of state, not the head of government, which is headed by a prime minister.
But, unlike other countries, where the president has a largely protocol role, in Finland helps direct foreign and security policy and is supreme commander of the Armed Forces.
Finland elects president and maintains tense relationship with Russia
Finland finds itself in an unexpected situation, Since the end of the Cold War it maintained good relations with Russia that deteriorated after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022., and led the Finnish Government to close its eastern border. Furthermore, Finland abandoned its traditional military non-alignment and joined NATO in April 2023.
Russia, which shares a 1,340 km border with Finland, warned that it would take “countermeasures”. In August, Finland recorded an influx of visa-free migrants across its eastern border, sent by Moscow, according to the government, to destabilize the country.
Last week, during a televised debate, Stubb stressed that “the security of Finland” must be prioritized, while his main rival, Haavisto, emphasized that the country must “send Russia a very clear message that this cannot continue.” .
Source: Ambito
