On Thursday, Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto announced he would run for president in next year’s election to succeed Sauli Niinisto, retiring after two terms.
Haavisto, a Green Party member, will run for president again after finishing second in 2012 and 2018.
“Recently, many Finns from very different backgrounds have contacted me and appealed for me to become a candidate in next January’s presidential election,” Haavisto told a press conference, adding that he would run as an independent.
On May 22, Helsingin Sanomat polled Finns and found that 36% wanted Haavisto to be president, ahead of Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn at 31% and foreign policy think tank leader Mika Aaltola at 24%.
After the center-left government lost April’s parliamentary election, Haavisto is scheduled to resign as foreign minister later this month.
Finland’s presidential election begins on Jan. 28, 2020. A Feb. 11 run-off will occur if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.
Comment Template