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2024 Centre-Right President in Finland

 

On March 1, 2024, Alexander Stubb is to become the 13th president of Finland.

Recently, the Finnish media outlet Uusi Suomi addressed 25 questions to the newly elected president. The questions concern the deployment of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory, Finland’s economic dependence on China, the dynamics of development of relations with Russia, as well as the internal agenda, including the reduction of level of social benefits as a potential threat to the welfare state.

The attitude towards the nuclear agenda is clearly ambiguous. Despite Stubb emphasizes that in Finland there is no real need to acquire nuclear weapons, at the same time he notes that sometimes nuclear weapons may serve a guarantee of peace.

The situation that developed in his pre-presidential period largely determined relations with China and Russia. Stubb is convinced that today, Finland and other European countries need to develop a strategic approach to reduce the risks of economic, technological and raw materials dependence on China. He also regrets the position he previously took toward Russia. Mainly it covers his support of the Hanhikivi Nuclear Power Plant, Nord Stream, seeking a visa-free regime and inadequate promotion of Finland’s NATO membership.

As for domestic policy, Stubb feels positive about the country's efforts to balance revenues with taxes and social benefits. He also acknowledges that little has been done to integrate immigrants into Finnish society and now the country faces pressing challenges.

Alexander Stubb managed to be a member of the European parliament and Finnish parliament (eduskunta), he was the head of three ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and even the Prime Minister of Finland. In 2017, he decided to leave politics and spent all subsequent years outside his homeland - first in Luxembourg, where he served as deputy director general of the European Investment Bank, and then in Italy as director of the Florence School of Transnational Governance.

Sources: Uusi Suomi, Yle

14.02.2024