Finnish presidential election, 2018

Finnish presidential election, 2018
Finland
28 January 2018
President before election

Sauli Niinistö
National Coalition

 Elected President

TBD

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Finland on 28 January 2018, with a second round on 11 February if necessary.[1] The elected president's term will last until 2024. The incumbent Sauli Niinistö is eligible for re-election.

Candidates

National Coalition Party

The incumbent President Sauli Niinistö has promised to announce his decision a year before the election.

The incumbent President Sauli Niinistö, of the National Coalition Party, is eligible for re-election and will announce his decision a year before the election.[2] Some names have been speculated, if Niinistö won't seek for another term, including the former Minister of Finance Alexander Stubb.[3]

Centre Party

Former Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is the Centre Party's candidate.

The Centre Party decided on 30 November 2016 that the party would choose their presidential candidate already in June 2016.[4] Soon after, former Prime Minister and Centre Party's presidential candidate in 2006 election, Matti Vanhanen, announced that he would run for candidacy.[5][6] Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and veteral politician Paavo Väyrynen both declined their interest early on.[4][7] Other prominent names in speculations for the candidacy were former Prime Minister Esko Aho and incumbent Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn.[8][9] Rehn declined the possibility stating that it wouldn't be possible to combine his duties as cabinet minister with campaigning.[10] Aho did not comment his interest in candidacy, but it was considered unlikely for him to seek presidential nomination, as he was a candidate for the Supervisory Board of Sberbank at the time.[11]

As no challengers appeared till the deadline of 11 May, Vanhanen was the sole candidate in June's party congress and was confirmed as the Centre Party's candidate in the presidential election.[12][13] Vanhanen has said that his candidacy is motivated by the support he felt he had around the country during his last campaign and the will to improve the security situation in the areas surrounding Finland.[14]

Finns Party

The Finns Party is likely to choose their candidate in summer 2017.[15] The leader of the Finns Party Timo Soini announced early on in November 2014 that he would not seek candidacy in the 2018 presidential election, after getting 3,43 % and 9,4 % of votes in 2006 and 2012 presidential elections respectively.[16] He reaffirmed his decision in April 2016, encouraging party to move on and inviting new faces to enter party's primaries.[17] As Soini has been a strong face for the Finns Party, his decision sparked much speculation on the party's decision, as party's presidential candidate can possibly be the next chairman after Soini.[18]

So far no Finns Party politician has officially announced their candidacy, but the former Member of the European parliament Sampo Terho, Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö and Speaker of the Parliament Maria Lohela have expressed their interest, while Minister of Justice and Labor Jari Lindström has declined.[18]

Green League

The Green League will choose their candidate in December 2016. Party's presidential candidate in 2012 election, Pekka Haavisto, has been asked to reprise his candidacy. Haavisto has stated, that he will announce his decision in fall 2016.[19] Leader of the party, Ville Niinistö, has stated that he won't seek the candidacy.[20]

Left Alliance

No one from the Left Alliance has yet confirmed their candidacy. After Li Andersson was elected as the leader of the party in 2016, she hinted the possibility of candidacy.[21] MEP Merja Kyllönen and former leader of the party Paavo Arhinmäki have also announced their interest in candidacy.[22][23]

Social Democratic Party

The Social Democratic Party is likely to choose their candidate in January 2017.[24] From early on, there was speculation on two possible candidates, Eero Heinäluoma and Jutta Urpilainen.[9][25] In June 2016, Heinäluoma announced that he would not seek presidency due to his wife's recent death and ongoing work in the Parliament.[26] Also the leader of the party Antti Rinne and the Governor of the Bank of Finland Erkki Liikanen have announced that they would not enter the presidential race.[27][28]

There have also been talks within SDP on supporting a candidate outside the party, such as archbishop Kari Mäkinen or the incumbent president Sauli Niinistö.[29]

Swedish People's Party

The Swedish People's Party has not yet set a date for the party primary. In Spring 2016, then leader of the party, Carl Haglund stated that he was thinking about candidacy, but renounced his leadership and left the politics later that year.[30][31]

Christian Democrats

The Christian Democrats have not yet set a date for the party primary. It has been speculated that the leader of the party and former presidential candidate Sari Essayah might run again.[32]

References

  1. ↑ "Vuosina 2016-2030 toimitettavat säännönmukaiset vaalit" (in Finnish). Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Presidentti Niinistö: Jatkohalut julki noin vuosi ennen vaaleja" (in Finnish). Yle. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "IS-tutkimus: Niinistö ottaisi presidentinvaalissa rökälevoiton" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 9 January 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Keskustalta yllätysveto: Presidenttiehdokas jo kesällä - Sipilä kieltäytyy" (in Finnish). Suomenmaa. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Vanhanen lähtee presidenttikisaan ja luopuu keskustan eduskuntaryhmän johdosta" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  6. ↑ Matti Vanhanen presidentiksi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  7. ↑ "Väyrynen pettyi liberaaliin puoluejohtoon ja jättäytyy puolueen hallinnosta – "En aio puuttua puolueen asioihin"" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Eiköhän jo avata presidenttipelikin" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Demarien presidenttipeli pyörii: Heinäluoma vai Urpilainen" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Olli Rehn ei lähde presidenttikisaan" (in Finnish). Ilta-sanomat. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ex-pääministeri Esko Aho ehdolla huippupaikalle venäläispankkiin" (in Finnish). Ilta-sanomat. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Matti Vanhasesta keskustan presidenttiehdokas – kukaan ei ilmoittautunut haastajaksi" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Matti Vanhasesta yksimielisesti keskustan presidenttiehdokas" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Matti Vanhanen kertoo nyt, miksi hän haluaa Suomen presidentiksi (in Finnish). Ilta Sanomat. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  15. ↑ "Hänestäkö PS:n presidenttiehdokas? "En missään nimessä sulje pois"" (in Finnish). Verkkouutiset. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "Timo Soini: En lähde enää presidenttiehdokkaaksi" (in Finnish). Apu. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Timo Soini ei pyri presidentiksi – "Puolueen on aika siirtyä eteenpäin"" (in Finnish). Ilta-sanomat. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Miksi eturivin perussuomalaiset ilmoittavat kilvan harkitsevansa presidenttiehdokkuutta? Kyseessä on taistelu Timo Soinin perinnöstä ja seuraajasta" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  19. ↑ "Vuoden 2018 presidenttipeli vielä auki – he saattavat havitella paikkaa" (in Finnish). Helsingin sanomat. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  20. ↑ "Vihreille presidenttiehdokas vielä tänä vuonna" (in Finnish). Yle. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "Li Andersson harkitsee presidenttiehdokuutta" (in Finnish). Suomen Kuvalehti. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "Merja Kyllönen kiinnostunut presidenttiehdokkuudesta" (in Finnish). Kansan Uutiset. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  23. ↑ "Presidentinvaalin ehdokasasetelmat: Urpilainen ja Arhinmäki harkitsevat, Haavisto ilmoittaa tänä vuonna" (in Finnish). Suomenmaa. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  24. ↑ "SDP:n presidenttiehdokkaasta päätös jo alkuvuonna 2017?" (in Finnish). Demokraatti. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Demarin ex-vetäjä: Heinäluoma tähtää presidentiksi" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  26. ↑ "SDP:n Eero Heinäluoma ei pyri presidentiksi – ehdottaa Urpilaista" (in Finnish). Yle. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  27. ↑ "Antti Rinne ei lähde presidenttiehdokkaaksi" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  28. ↑ "Erkki Liikanen haluaa jatkaa Suomen Pankissa" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  29. ↑ "Sdp:ssä pohditaan kuumeisesti presidenttiehdokasta – vaihtoehtoina ovat myös Sauli Niinistö ja arkkipiispa Kari Mäkinen". Helsingin sanomat (in Finnish). 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  30. ↑ "Carl Haglund presidenttiehdokuudestaan Ykkösaamussa: "Lievä ehkä"" (in Finnish). Suomenmaa. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  31. ↑ "Haglund jättää politiikan – siirtyy kiinalaisyritys Kaidille" (in Finnish). Keskisuomalainen. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  32. ↑ "Keskustelu on paikallaan" (in Finnish). Satakunnan Kansa. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.

External links

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