HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finland elects a brand new president on Sunday to steer the nation in its new function inside NATO after it broke with many years of non-alignment to affix the Western protection alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Nordic nation’s admission to NATO final yr drew threats of “counter measures” from its huge Russian neighbor. In December, Finland closed its complete border with Russia to passenger site visitors in response to a surge in migrants making an attempt to cross. Moscow denied Finnish prices it was sending them there.
All 9 candidates are promising a troublesome stance in direction of Russia if elected president, a job that leads on overseas and safety coverage in shut cooperation with the federal government and represents the nation at NATO conferences, whereas additionally performing as a Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defense Forces.
The center-right National Coalition’s Alexander Stubb has emerged because the frontrunner, with latest polls giving him 22-27% help in a primary spherical, simply forward of liberal Green Party member Pekka Haavisto, who polled at 20-23%.
The nationalist Finns Party’s Jussi Halla-aho is just not far behind Haavisto, at 15-18%.
Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn and Social Democrat European Union Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen are among the many different six candidates from throughout the political spectrum.
If nobody will get greater than 50% of the votes forged on Sunday, a runoff might be held between the primary and second candidates.
Partial outcomes are anticipated shortly after polls shut at 1800 GMT and the opponents for the possible second spherical ought to be clear by 2030 GMT until the outcomes are very shut.
The new president will change the 75-year-old incumbent Sauli Niinisto who’s required to step down after two six-year phrases in workplace.
He earned the nickname “the Putin Whisperer” throughout his tenure for his function in sustaining shut ties with Russia, which had lengthy been a key function for Finnish presidents.