Finns vote in first round of presidential election

Finns headed to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president, an office whose importance has grown amid increased tensions with neighboring Russia since the start of its conflict with Ukraine.

While the president's powers are limited, the head of state also acts as supreme commander of Finland's armed forces and is tasked with helping direct foreign policy in collaboration with the government.

READ MORE

Finland's center-right party wins election as PM concedes defeat

Finland elections: Who is who and what are the key issues?

From Russia to Finland: A lonesome journey

With Finland's new admission into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4 of last year, the changing geopolitical landscape in Europe will be the main concern for the winner.

Two top politicians lead the pack of nine candidates: former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb, and ex-foreign minister Pekka Haavisto of the Green Party who is running as an independent. No candidate is expected to receive the 50 percent threshold needed to be elected without a second round of run-off voting scheduled for next month.

Against this backdrop, all the presidential candidates champion both Finland's independence and its new role as a NATO member, said Hanna Wass, vice dean at the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Helsinki.

"They all seem to have a strong idea emphasizing self-sufficiency, in that in the future Finland should be in charge of its defense independently and also be an active contributor in building a shared European defense and Nordic cooperation," Wass told AFP.

With such similar stances, the election will focus more on the candidates' personalities, according to Tuomas Forsberg, professor of foreign policy at the University of Tampere.

"This will be more about electing an individual, where you look at the person's credibility and reliability and perceived qualities as a leader of foreign policy," Forsberg said.

"They both have broad experience in both domestic and foreign politics, which voters seem to value the most," Wass said.

While sharing similar political views, Haavisto and Stubb represent different backgrounds, Forsberg noted.

"Their background and values... are seen as quite different because Alex is more a representative of the right and Haavisto of the left, even if Haavisto has tried to underline that there is nothing red about him, that he has taken the middle road as a Green," Forsberg said.

"I think (campaigning) has been done in a civilized mode because of the security situation," Haavisto said during his last campaign event outside the capital, Helsinki, late on Saturday.

"We (candidates) don't disagree on basic questions. But it's a question of the credibility of the new president and his previous experience in foreign and security policy," said Haavisto, who as foreign minister signed Finland's historic accession treaty to NATO last year and played a key role in the membership process.

Over 4 million Finns are eligible to vote this term as the nation tries to replace President Sauli Niinistö, who despite his popularity is ineligible from this election due to the country's term limits.

His successor will start their six-year term in March amid rising tensions with Russia following Finland's admission into the western-aligned military cooperation alliance.

Results from the first round of votes will be available before Monday and officially tabulated by Tuesday.

The emerging two frontrunners will have until February 11 when voters return to polls to finalize their campaigns.

Subscribe to Storyboard: A weekly newsletter bringing you the best of CGTN every Friday