Conservative ex-PM Alexander Stubb elected Finland president

Finland’s former conservative Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, has won the presidential election held on Sunday, according to final results.

Stubb secured 51.6% of the vote, defeating his Green Party rival, Pekka Haavisto, the former foreign minister, who had 48.4%. Haavisto has conceded defeat.

This election marks Finland’s first since joining the NATO military alliance.

Stubb, aged 55, holds a tough stance on Russia, given the long land border Finland shares with the country.

He previously stated that Finland’s NATO membership was inevitable following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Finland officially became the 31st member of the alliance last April.