A new president at the top of the world

The winner, Sauli Niinistö

Finland has chosen it's 12th President, the Kokoomus (National Coalition Party - broadly conservative and pro-business) candidate Sauli Niinistö. He won the first round of the election, and went on to gather 62,9% of the votes in the second round. Congratulations are in order. Sauli will become President Niinistö at the beginning of March. A lawyer by training - an entrepeneur as well, having run his own law firm in his home town, Salo - Mr Niinistö has previously held the positions of Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister of Finland, Speaker of Parliament and, least importantly, but quite interestingly, Mr Niinistö is also the President of the Football Association of Finland. He has on several occasions retired from politics and high office after having previously run for President, but all good things come to those who try, revise, and  try again, it would seem.

The runner up, Pekka Haaavisto

The contrast between the winner and the runner-up candidate, Pekka Haavisto (Green Ulkopolitiikka called him the 5th most influential Finn on the international scene, and he has been highly popular with urbanites, environmentalists, artists and intellectuals, among others.
League), could hardly have been starker - unless Sauli was called Timo Soini (of the lamentably close minded True Finns). Mr Haavisto received 37,4% of the votes, which, although dissappointing to his followers and activists, is a remarkable amount considering the following: he is a Green, he is openly gay, he chose the civilian service over the military (Finnish men must complete one of these or the third option, prison, for their national service), and although he studied Social Sciences in university, he did not complete the degree. His strenghts, however, lay in international affairs in particular: he has worked for the United Nations, UN Environment Program, and the European Union in various capacities, which resulted in spells in Afganistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Darfur, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Palestine, Sudan, to name but a few not alltogether friendly places. Haavisto is also a Member of Parliament and he previously served as the Minister for the Environment between 1995-99. The foreign affairs magazine

The role of the President of Finland is mostly ceremonial, and they have little power over national or foreign policy. Their main function is to act as the premier representative for Finland on the world stage and in non-European matters in particular. The President is the figurehead of the country and a sort of brand ambassador for all things Pohjola.

Personally, I voted for the losing candidate. At first, I felt that it might not be in the country's interest to have a gay President with an Ecuadorian civil partner, not because I have anything against either - because I honestly do not - but because it might complicate matters and impinge on the national interest should the President need to, for example, drum up trade with less civilized and less modern countries, where the private life of the President might be given more weight than their skills and professionalism. This is only an indictment at certain parts of the world, where prejudices are still far more prevalent than in the West, but in the real world, this could result in less opportunities for Finland PLC. Sad but true - and, after all, we were not voting for equality or justice or morals, but for the person most suited to further the Finnish national interest.

However, although Niinistö ticked all the trade boxes, his downfall for me was having such views as libraries should begin charging for their services, and for being a tad out of touch with the fortunes of the less fortunate in society, along with the discernible arrogance which I felt he displayed in his television debate with Paavo Väyrynen. Still, I walked to the Embassy thinking Niinistö would get my vote, for the abovementioned realpolitik reason,  but when I was standing in the booth, looking at the two numbers, I couldn't help but feel: will I vote for the status quo where leaders must conform to the norm, or should I give my vote to the person who to me seems superior and thereby try to push the envelope of meritocracy, whatever consequences that may have for Finland's economy? I chose the latter - although I must confess that I thought Niinistö would nonetheless win.

In any case, the turnout was depressingly low, 68,9% - makes one think, why should people be allowed to avail of the benefits of a welfare state but not have to take part in its maintenance? - but the demos hath spoken. Congratulations to Niinistö - now just do the right thing and keep the libraries open because there is little more important for the health of a nation than making sure that people can keep themselves well read and informed. And, Mr Haavisto, you did a great job and even though now was not your time, you certainly made Finland step up and show the world what a progressive, egalitarian and open minded country it can be. This election, the way it was managed, the innovative part played by the media, and the positive result for such an unlikely candidate, showed us leading the world by example in all things meritocracy and equality. As Haavisto tweeted after the result, "these elections might be a wave toward something better, which has begun now." If not today, you have brought tomorrow a lot closer, Pekka - for that we thank you, and we can all be proud.