Finlandcountry European Union (EU) has the longest border Russia, this Sunday begins the search for a new president whose priority will be national defense. Foreign policy was already the main duty of the president of the Scandinavian State by constitutional obligation. since the occupation Ukraine and the inclusion of “express.” NATO under threats Kremlin, Helsinki He left behind his determination to see Moscow as a neighbor with whom it was appropriate to maintain complex but prosperous ties. Thanks to the privileged relationship, it has definitively closed its 1,340-kilometer common border.
It’s been a tumultuous year for Finns. In April last year, there was a change in power following legislative elections that removed the social democrat from the government. Sanna Marin. The reins of the executive passed to conservatives Petteri Orpoclear winner at the ballot box, forming a coalition far right Real Finns. With the beginning of the alliance, a series of events occurred. scandals And crisis new government alliance includes resignation of ultra minister for joking Adolf Hitler.
Conservative who served as president of the country for twelve years Sauli Niinistö He will leave office after Sunday’s elections. Nine candidates from Finland’s leading political families are running. The first round will be played this Sunday, likely to be followed by a tiebreaker on February 11. The last stage of Niinistö presidential It left its mark on the turnaround in relations with Russia in this huge country with a population of only 5.5 million. The Finns never forgot the dangers of their neighbors who invaded them in 1939. The Cold War He favored military neutrality, a position valued for decades, until he began demanding it in 2022. Sweden– NATO membership.
Niinistö decisively successfully negotiated the integration process, which it completed in less than a year. Personally, this meant that he stopped being friends with her. Vladimir Putin joining the line of maximum prevention represented by baltic republics. The past photo album will include some scenes from high-profile ice hockey matches with Putin.
US soldiers and the nuclear dilemma
It will be his successor’s responsibility to determine how much US troops will be deployed on his territory and whether joining NATO includes hosting. nuclear weapons. The president of Finland, in addition to the highest office Situationcommander in chief armed forcesIn a country that had invested heavily in Defense long before joining the Atlantic Alliance. There are 70,000 soldiers It has 280,000 active and reserve soldiers, recently purchased 60 American F-35s, and is a leading country in protecting against terrorism, along with the Baltic countries. cyber attacks. That it has been preparing for decades of war “possibility” is evidenced by the 900,000 shelter sites in the capital and many of its suburbs alone, dubbed “Greater Helsinki”.
Two experienced former ministers and an extreme thespian
Polls show that two experienced politicians will advance to the second round of the presidential elections: Pekka HaavistoHe was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Marin government and thus one of the key figures in the NATO integration process, and Alexander StubbHe served in this portfolio in 2008 and later became the head of the government. Haavisto, 65, is a charismatic politician, originally from the Greens but working as a freelancer, sometimes acting as a DJ and sometimes as an accompanist for her husband, the Ecuadorian hairdresser Antonio Flores, who is quite well known in Helsinki. Stubb, 55 years old and from the conservative party like Prime Minister Orpo, is also a solid figure at the European level within the popular family. Polls place Haavisto in second place in voting intention with 20%; That puts him two or three points behind his theoretical main rival, the conservative.
The controversial third person, with 16%, is the former leader of the True Finns and the current speaker of the Finnish Parliament. Jussi Halla-aho. He is a histrionic character who has clearly practiced in the past. xenophobia Declared and experienced before the court for the crime of inciting hatred. He handed over leadership of the party to a more moderate party before last year’s parliamentary elections. Riikka PurraMinister of Finance of the current government. He returned to the political forefront as speaker of Parliament, the second-highest position in the country after head of state.
The remaining candidates have no chance of making it to the second round. Among them is the former European commissioner for economic affairs Olli Rehn and far beyond all odds, the candidate of the Social Democrats and also a former member of the European Commission Jutta Urpilainen. Sanna Marin’s party is still unable to recover from the election defeat of its charismatic leader, who remained in the shadows from political life even though his name was mentioned many times in different positions.
Interruptions and birth tension
Besides his importance in foreign and defense policy and his highest rank in the armed forces, the Finnish president is known as a “moral authority” and political neutrality. Its citizens, regardless of their political affiliation, often entrust this position to experienced individuals. Haavisto and Stubb fit this profile.
The Scandinavian country is going through a turbulent period not only due to hostilities from the Kremlin. The closure of the border with Russia was a consequence of this. hybrid warfare Helsinki attributes this to Moscow and, according to Finland, appears to reflect an unusual influx of refugees that the neighboring country is pushing into its territory for destabilizing purposes. The decision to close border crossings taken in November, Economic crisis labor and labor to the affected areas after years of expansion, thanks to the transit of visitors from Russia and the transportation of goods.
Conservative Orpo assumes leadership of government with commitment to cuts public expenditureafter taking the shot indebtedness Marin is in the final stages of his government. Finland should have saved 6 billion euros in its budget and applied it to the public. social cuts. Between the first round and the foreseeable second round of the presidential election, major unions Finns call for a series of changes strikes It could paralyze air traffic in the Scandinavian country, among other sectors, next week.