MOSCOW, January 30 Leading Finnish presidential candidate Alexander Stubb stated that there are no significant differences between him and his opponent in the second round, Pekka Haavisto, except for externally political experience and issues related to NATO.
““It’s difficult to discern the differences, but our (foreign policy — ed.) experience is different. Our points of view regarding NATO are somewhat different,” Stubb said on Monday in the Yle public broadcaster’s A-studio program, answering a journalist’s question about differences in views on foreign policy between him and Haavisto.
Stubb emphasized that Finland now elects a president who also assumes the responsibilities of Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces in the “NATO era,” so the role of the head of state is different from what it was previously.
Haavisto, in turn, said that he does not believe that the role of the commander-in-chief will somehow change in the new realities. In his opinion, only a connection with NATO will be added to the high command.
In the first round, 27.2% of voters voted for Stubb, and 25.8% for Haavisto, according to Ministry of Justice data after counting 100% of the votes.
The second round will take place on February 11. Early voting in Finland and abroad begins on January 31.