Finland strengthens commitment to NATO with conservative Stubb

The desire for security from the neighboring country occupied the minds of the Finns. RussiaAmid ongoing tensions the country has experienced since its accession NATO, less than a year ago. Stubb was thus defeated green Pekka HaavistoHe sought reelection for a third term and was elected with 48.3% of the votes. The result was a turning point for the Greens, who have never won the presidency but came very close to success this time. Haavisto had gained the trust of a wider range of voters than that of his party, thanks to his time as Minister of Foreign Affairs during the NATO accession process.

But the country eventually decided to step up anchoring in NATO Under the Stubb figure. In addition to replacing his co-religionist Niinistö, he will also share power with the prime minister Petteri Orpoalso conservative. These presidential campaigns were marked by tensions with Moscow and threats from the Kremlin. In fact, these are the daily realities faced by Finns since the beginning of the Ukrainian occupation. Considering that Moscow has ceased to be a commercially useful neighbor and has become a risk factor, the country has met this situation not with a harsh attitude, but with a calmer attitude and with a coherent political spectrum without cracks.

Finland, which already has a modern and well-prepared army 25,000 soldiers and 900,000 reservistsIn 2022, it began strengthening its defenses and its 1,340-kilometer border, which will remain closed from November until at least mid-April. Spend more than: 2% of GDP goes to DefenseIn other words, it meets NATO objectives.

The contest of both candidates in the tiebreaking round was a paragon of excellence, especially in the televised debates, where they seemed more dedicated to the task of displaying harmony than demonstrating their differences. After all, the duty of the president, regardless of party, is to be president of all 5.5 million Finns; This is clearly seen in Haavisto, who is running as an independent despite being a founding member of the Finnish Greens.

The powers of the Presidency are essentially foreign and defense policy, because he is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. However, decisions are made in consensus with the national government. This was Niinistö’s line on the NATO integration process, which he shared with Haavisto as Foreign Minister in the previous government of social democrat Sanna Marin.

Finland’s entry into the Atlantic Alliance in April 2023 was followed by a shift in power in favor of the conservative Orpo. The far right as an ally of the government. However, this change did not change the line of foreign policy. Stubb showed readiness to be deployed in the campaign nuclear weapons on its territory -current Finnish law does not allow this- and also to host allied bases permanently. This was the important difference between him and his environmentalist rival.

Return after seven years in the rearguard

Stubb, 55, youngest president Finland had when he took office. His victory marks his return to his country’s politics after seven tumultuous years precipitated by internal disagreements with current Prime Minister Orpo. Both vied for the leadership of their party, Kokoomus, but Stubb lost the battle in 2016. This led him to leave Finland, first to become vice-president of the European Investment Bank, and then to seek refuge in the university environment in Florence.

He is a versatile politician, anyway. He was prime minister between 2014 and 2015 and headed three ministerial postsAmong them is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This last aspect served as leverage for his candidacy, which he undertook at Orpo’s “invitation” and with the common goal of completing the conservative dominance at the head of power in Finland. Even before Finland abandoned military neutrality to embrace the Atlantic Alliance, he was himself a convinced Atlanticist.

In his statements, he often includes expressions in Swedish, which is the common official language of Finland, which he dominates and is spoken by only a 5% minority of the population. He is married to a British lawyer and has two children.

This special element is the most important difference from Haavisto, who is openly homosexual and married to an Ecuadorian hairdresser. It’s hard to gauge whether being gay hurts him among a segment of the electorate.