Finns vote in new 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.

The 63-year-old Mr Niinisto will become the first president from the conservative National Coalition Party since 1956, and the first in 30 years from a party other than the centre-left Social Democrats.

He will replace Tarja Halonen, one of Finland’s most popular heads of state, who has served the maximum two six-year terms.

“The president in Finland has to understand that there are many different thoughts and opinions and that they must be taken into account so that he could be the president of the whole nation,” Mr Niinisto said in his victory speech.

Finland’s president has a largely ceremonial role with fewer powers now than in previous decades, and is not directly involved in daily politics. However, the head of state takes the lead on non-EU matters of foreign policy, is seen as an important shaper of public opinion, and plays a role as a “brand ambassador” of Finland overseas.