Presidential elections are underway in Finland

Presidential elections are underway in Finland. The population of the country has to choose between nine presidential candidates.

It should be noted that the current president, Sauli Niinistö, is not among the presidential candidates, because he has been leading the country since 2012 and is no longer eligible to hold the post of president.

According to the media, the main contender for the victory is Alexander Stubb, the candidate nominated by the right-wing centrist National Coalition Party. Alexander Stubb held the positions of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs at different times. According to the latest poll conducted by research company Taloustutkimus, Stubb may be supported by 27% of voters. His main rival is Pekka Haavisto, a member of the center-left Green Union. In 2019-2023, Haavisto headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. According to polls, he is supported by about 23% of voters.

Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto may be challenged by the speaker of the parliament, Jussi Halla-Aho, who is known for his harsh criticism of the EU and the government on migration policy. In January, the rating of the politician increased from 10 to 18 percent.