Xavier Colás Helsinki

Helsinki

Updated Sunday, February 11, 2024-7:30 p.m.

Former Prime Minister

Alexander Stubb

, of the centre-right National Coalition party, will be the

next president of Finland

. The first results attribute him 52.7% of the votes.

Stubb's program consists of taking

a tough line on Russia

, a country with which he

shares a 1,340 kilometer border

. He wants to strengthen security ties with Washington, reinforce NATO's presence on Finnish soil after the country's accession last year and maintain support for Ukraine.

The vote

pitted

Stubb, 55, against

Pekka Haavisto

, 65, a former Green League foreign minister. Haavisto has obtained 47.3% support, with 58.3% of the votes counted.

Stubb, of the National Coalition Party, knows power inside out.

He led the government between 2014 and 2015

and previously held other cabinet offices. He now occupies the highest position, although the powers of the presidency in Finland are limited.

The president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the army

. He is responsible for foreign policy, always in cooperation with the government, which is also now centrist. Russia's expansionism and entry into NATO have given this task a very special relevance.

Finland's admission to

NATO

in

2023

has sparked

threats of "countermeasures"

by

Russia

. In Helsinki they know they are in the spotlight. "People are going to vote today thinking about Russia," explained Mikael, 40, divorced and father of a child, during the voting. He does not feel conservative, but admits that he has voted for Stubb: "We need someone who can effectively show up in Washington to ask for help and weapons."

To know more

Atlantic Alliance.

Finland, on the front line of NATO: "Now we have muscle against Russia"

  • Editor: TERESA ABURTO (Special Envoy)Helsinki

Finland, on the front line of NATO: "Now we have muscle against Russia"

In Brussels and Washington, the elections in Finland are closely followed, a country that until a few years ago chose to be in the EU and collaborate with NATO without becoming part of this military alliance. The Finnish border also serves as the EU's external border and now represents, on NATO's northeastern flank, the largest expanse of land between Russia and the alliance.

If international security and defense have been a priority for many Finnish voters, it is partly due to accusations that Moscow instigated a "hybrid operation" in recent months by diverting illegal immigrants to the shared border between Russia and Finland, which led Finland to close all its border crossings.

Stubb has been more forceful than Haavisto

, describing foreign policy and security as "existential" issues for Finland.

While Stubb favors allowing the transport of nuclear weapons through the country, Haavisto, who previously worked as a UN peace negotiator, has advocated maintaining the ban on nuclear weapons in Finland.

More than four million people were called to exercise their right to vote throughout the country. According to official data, almost half (around 46%) of voters opted for early voting.

Stubb has been the favorite throughout the final stretch of the campaign, although without managing to separate himself too much from his rival. In the first round two weeks ago, Stubb and Haavisto obtained 27.2% and 25.8% of the votes respectively. Jussi Halla-aho, from the Finnish far-right party, was eliminated from the second round with third place.