Finland elects a new president on Sunday to lead the country in its new role within NATO after it broke with decades of non-alignment to join the Western defence alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country's admission to NATO last year drew threats of "counter measures" from its vast Russian neighbour. In December, Finland closed its entire border with Russia to passenger traffic in response to a surge in migrants trying to cross.
HELSINKI (Reuters) -Centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb of Finland's National Coalition Party narrowly won the first round of the country's presidential election on Sunday and will face liberal Green Party member Pekka Haavisto in a run-off, official data showed. With all votes counted, Stubb came first with 27.2% support, followed by Haavisto on 25.8%, and nationalist Jussi Halla-aho third with 19.0% support. Finland is electing a new president to lead the country's foreign and security policy in its new role within NATO after it broke with decades of non-alignment to join the Western defence alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.