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Finland's President Niinisto declares election victory

January 28, 2018 23:18·
Finland with his wife Jenni Haukio and their dog Lennu. Credit Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva via

Finland with his wife Jenni Haukio and their dog Lennu. Credit Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva via

Finland's incumbent president is barreling toward another six years in office with almost 60 percent of ballots counted in the Nordic country's election. His leading rival, Pekka Haavisto of the Greens, had 12.4 percent.

"Sauli Niinisto gains 62.7 percent of votes, other candidates less than 15 percent", the statement said". Since the incumbent president got the majority of votes and won his second six-year term in the first round, there will be no runoff on February 11.

He ran as an independent with no association to the conservative National Coalition Party that he earlier chaired.

Although at the helm of a largely ceremonial post, the president also helps steer foreign policy. As head of state, the president is the key foreign policy player, particularly on issues outside the European Union.

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Finland, which shares an 833-mile (1,340 km) border and a hard history with Russian Federation, has also developed closer ties with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation but stopped short of full membership in line with a tradition of avoiding confrontation with Russian Federation.

Judged by his vast popularity, Niinisto seemingly handled the balancing act well.

A lawyer by training, he was finance minister in the 1990s, becoming known for his government's austerity measures following Finland's recession, as well as the decision to join the euro area. His pragmatic style clearly appeals to the majority of Finns, and the latest polls by the largest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and national public broadcaster YLE predict him winning with between 58 and 63 percent of the votes respectively.

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