Finns brave snow to elect president

A former finance minister has won Finland’s presidential election and will become the country’s first conservative head of state in five decades.

Sauli Niinisto won 63% of the votes, compared to 37% for his rival, Greens candidate Pekka Haavisto, official results showed with 100% of ballots counted.

Voters braved record low temperatures yesterday to choose between Niinisto and Haavisto, Finland’s first openly gay candidate. The former environment minister was seen by many as too radical for the Nordic country.