Alexander Stubb becomes the new President of Finland.

Mr. Stubb is pro-European and a strong supporter of Ukraine. According to data from the Finnish Ministry of Justice , he declared himself the winner of the second round of voting after securing 51.6% of the vote with 99.7% of the ballots counted, compared to 48.4% for his opponent Haavisto.

Finland's new head of state will be responsible for its security and foreign policy. In a televised address, Stubb called his victory the "greatest honor" of his life.

Alexander Stubb of the National Coalition Party (NCP) attends an election reception in Helsinki, Finland, on February 11, 2024. Photo: REUTERS

He said: "It feels calm and humble, but of course at the same time I am extremely happy and grateful that such a large number of Finns voted for me to be president of the Republic of Finland."

Pekka Haavisto conceded defeat and congratulated Stubb on becoming "Finland's 13th President." He said: "I believe Finland now has a good president for the republic. Alexander Stubb is an experienced and capable person for this job..."

Mr. Stubb will play a central role in defining Finland's NATO policies, while also leading overall foreign and security policy in close cooperation with the government and serving as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shared in a post on X: “Heartfelt congratulations to Alexander Stubb. Finland is a close friend and partner of ours.”

Mr. Stubb supports deeper NATO cooperation, such as allowing the transport of nuclear weapons through Finnish soil and stationing some NATO troops permanently in Finland. However, he does not support storing nuclear weapons in Finland.

Mai Vân (according to Reuters, CNA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ong-alexander-stubb-dac-cu-tong-thong-phan-lan-post284305.html