Alexander Stubb Wins Finland's Presidential Election

Facts

• Former Prime Minister and National Coalition Party leader Alexander Stubb won the Finnish presidential election runoff on Sunday, securing 51.6% of the votes against Green Party rival Pekka Haavisto's 48.4%.¹
• Stubb had won the first round of the presidential election on Jan. 28, receiving 27.2% of the popular vote, while independent candidate Haavisto came in a close second with 25.8% of the ballot.²
• The 55-year-old 13th president of Finland, responsible for the country's security and foreign policy, called Sunday's victory 'the greatest honour [sic]' of his life.³
• The 55-year-old 13th president of Finland, responsible for the country's security and foreign policy, called Sunday's victory 'the greatest honour [sic]' of his life.⁴
• Stubb was sworn in as prime minister in 2014, however, he lost a parliamentary election in 2015. He was appointed the finance minister in the new government but he reportedly quit Finnish politics in 2017 with the intent to never return.⁵
• Stubb had stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and his desire to support Finland's efforts to oppose the Kremlin were the driving forces behind his campaign. However, after his win, he said, 'One of the president's main tasks is to ensure Finland promotes peace.'⁶
• Stubb will succeed outgoing incumbent Sauli Niinistö, who oversaw Finland's accession to NATO in April 2023. Niinistö's second six-year term expires in March, and he isn't eligible for re-election.⁷

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Al Jazeera, ³BBC News, ⁴CNN, ⁵POLITICO, ⁶Guardian and ⁷Associated Press.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. With a pro-European Stubb at the helm, Finland can safely take a hard line on Russia as well as play a robust military role within NATO. Since he seeks to be a unifying factor for the country and assumes the roles of prime minister, foreign minister, and defense minister in the government, his victory marks a new era in Finland, which has so far elected presidents to foster diplomacy and avoid tensions within and outside its boundaries.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Bloomberg. Stubb wants to allow the transport of nuclear weapons across Finland and station NATO troops permanently in the country. For him, the line between war and peace has been blurred, and nuclear weapons guarantee stability. Amid Europe's current security environment, unless Stubb takes a non-confrontational and more cautious approach with the Kremlin, maintains Finland's nuclear weapons ban, and remains as calm and contemplative as his predecessor, Helsinki is in geostrategic trouble.

Predictions