Big day in the neighboring country.
The polling stations have opened in Finland – and there is a lot at stake.
– We probably know how to handle Putin. I think that both me and Pekka are quite prepared in this situation, says favorite tipped Alexander Stubb.
NATO defense will be an important issue for the presidential candidate that the Finnish people choose today when he will also become commander-in-chief. Both have also been foreign ministers for the country and they emphasize that they have been involved in the past and are ready for new unpredictability from Russia.
At 08.00 the polling stations opened in Finland where the people have to choose between the two seasoned politicians Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto.
– We probably know how to handle Putin. I think that both me and Pekka are quite prepared in this situation, says Alexander Stubb.
Concerns about fake refugee flows from Russia
The neighboring country continues to keep the border closed, including in Imatra. This week, the government extended the previous decision until mid-April.
The threat from Russia to send new orchestrated refugee flows is still assessed as imminent. But whoever is chosen may be tested in new ways.
– This creates a kind of momentum for Russia to see how Finland and the new president will act. That can absolutely be the case, says Iro Särkkä, researcher at the foreign policy institute to TV4 Nyheterna.
The winner will be Finland’s voice in NATO
Stubb received 27.2 percent of the votes in the first round and Haavisto 25.8 percent. Recently, Haavisto has keyed in on the favorite tipped Stubb.
And the winner will be Finland’s voice in NATO, but there are worrying signals. TV4 Nyheternas reporter Magnus Wennerberg is in a polling station in Finland.
– It is seen as an absolutely crucial membership. Both the actions of the possible next American president, Donald Trump, last night, which in some sense put the entire defense alliance’s credibility at stake. And the domestic political turmoil in Hungary, which we do not know how much it will affect and possibly further delay their ratification of Sweden, which in Finland is seen as absolutely decisive for security here as well. These fluctuations in the outside world undeniably underline the seriousness of the tasks that lie ahead of whoever is elected president of Finland today, he says.
The polling stations close at 20:00 local time, which means 19:00 in Sweden.