2024 Finnish presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Finland on 28 January 2024, with a second round held on 11 February. Voters elected a president of the Republic for a six-year term. Incumbent president Sauli Niinistö was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election, having served the maximum two terms, ensuring that the president elected would be the country's thirteenth. Had the new president been elected in the first round on 28 January by winning more than half of valid votes cast, their term would have begun on 1 February. However, as no candidate received a majority of votes, Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto contested in a runoff on 11 February with Stubb winning 51.6% to Haavisto's 48.4%. The result in the second round was the closest in the history of presidential elections in Finland, followed by the 2000 presidential runoff. Stubb began his term as president on 1 March.

Infobox

Turnout

71.55% (first round)67.58% (second round)

Candidate

Alexander Stubb

Party

National Coalition

Alliance

–

Popular vote

1,575,444

Percentage

51.62%

Tables

· Candidates › Confirmed candidates

Name of the Candidate(Age)Political Party

Candidate

Name of the Candidate(Age)Political Party

Candidate

Image

Mika Aaltola(54)Independent

Candidate

Mika Aaltola(54)Independent

Candidate

Political office(s)

None .mw- .mw- .mw- }Other offices Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (since 2019)

Campaign logo

Details

Aaltola, the director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, gained media attention during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and emerged as a surprise candidate in multiple presidential surveys. He announced his candidacy on 3 August 2023.

Li Andersson(36)Left Alliance

Candidate

Li Andersson(36)Left Alliance

Candidate

Political office(s)

Leader of the Left Alliance(since 2016) Other offices Minister of Education (2019–2020, 2021–2023) MP for Finland Proper (since 2015)

Campaign logo

Details

Andersson served as Minister of Education in the Marin Cabinet from 2019 to 2020 and again from 2021 to 2023. She is the current leader of the Left Alliance. Anderson has consistently been one of the most popular candidates in her own electoral district.[citation needed]

Sari Essayah(56)Christian Democrats

Candidate

Sari Essayah(56)Christian Democrats

Candidate

Political office(s)

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry(since 2023) Other offices Leader of the Christian Democrats (since 2015) MP for Savo-Karelia (since 2015) MEP (2009–2014)

Details

Essayah has served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Orpo Cabinet since 2023. Essayah had a successful career in sports before entering politics. She is the current leader of the Christian Democrats.

Pekka Haavisto(65)Independent (Green League)

Candidate

Pekka Haavisto(65)Independent (Green League)

Candidate

Political office(s)

MP for Helsinki(1987–1995, since 2007) Other offices Minister for Foreign Affairs (2019–2023) Minister of the Environment and Development (1995–1999) Leader of the Green League (1993–1995, 2018–2019)

Campaign logo

Details

Haavisto, a Green League politician and United Nations diplomat, has run as a candidate for the office of President twice before, in 2012 and 2018, both times finishing second behind the incumbent President Sauli Niinistö. He is running as a candidate of a constituency association with the endorsement of the Green League.

Jussi Halla-aho(52)Finns Party

Candidate

Jussi Halla-aho(52)Finns Party

Candidate

Political office(s)

Speaker of the Parliament of Finland(since 2023) Other offices Leader of the Finns Party (2017–2021) MP for Helsinki (2011–2014, since 2019) MEP (2014–2019)

Details

Halla-aho is the current Speaker of the Parliament of Finland. Before entering national politics, he was best known for criticising multiculturalism and Finland's immigration policies in his popular online blog.

Hjallis Harkimo(70)Movement Now

Candidate

Hjallis Harkimo(70)Movement Now

Candidate

Political office(s)

Leader of Movement Now (since 2018) Other offices MP for Uusimaa (since 2015)

Details

Harkimo is a businessman who has led his own political party, Movement Now, since 2018. Harkimo, who made a career as an investor in sports, also hosted the Finnish version of The Apprentice.

Olli Rehn(61)Independent (Centre Party)

Candidate

Olli Rehn(61)Independent (Centre Party)

Candidate

Political office(s)

Governor of the Bank of Finland (since 2018) Other offices Minister of Economic Affairs (2015–2016) European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro (2010–2014) European Commissioner for Enlargement (2004–2010) MP for Helsinki (1991–1995, 2015–2017)

Campaign logo

Details

Rehn is an economist who has served as the governor of the Bank of Finland since 2018. He previously served as a European Commissioner from 2004 to 2014. Rehn runs in the election as a candidate of a constituency association with the endorsement of the Centre Party.

Alexander Stubb(55)National Coalition Party

Candidate

Alexander Stubb(55)National Coalition Party

Candidate

Political office(s)

43rd Prime Minister of Finland (2014–2015) Other offices Minister of Finance (2015–2016) Minister for European Affairs and Trade (2011–2014) Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008–2011) Leader of the National Coalition Party (2014–2016) MEP (2004–2008) MP for Uusimaa (2011–2017)

Campaign logo

Details

Stubb began his career in politics in 2004, when he was elected to the European Parliament. After holding several offices as a minister, he served as the Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015. In the summer of 2017, Stubb was appointed Vice President of the European Investment Bank. He currently serves as a professor and the head of a unit at the European University Institute.

Jutta Urpilainen(48)Social Democratic Party of Finland

Candidate

Jutta Urpilainen(48)Social Democratic Party of Finland

Candidate

Political office(s)

European Commissioner for International Partnerships(since 2019) Other offices Minister of Finance (2011–2014) Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (2008–2014) MP for Vaasa (2003–2019)

Details

Urpilainen is the incumbent European Commissioner from Finland. A long-time MP and leader of the Social Democratic Party, she served as the Minister of Finance from 2011 to 2014.

Candidate		Political office(s)		Campaign logo	Details
Name of the Candidate(Age)Political Party	Image	Political office(s)		Campaign logo	Details
Mika Aaltola(54)Independent			None .mw- }Other offices Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (since 2019)		Aaltola, the director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, gained media attention during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and emerged as a surprise candidate in multiple presidential surveys. He announced his candidacy on 3 August 2023.
Li Andersson(36)Left Alliance			Leader of the Left Alliance(since 2016) Other offices Minister of Education (2019–2020, 2021–2023) MP for Finland Proper (since 2015)		Andersson served as Minister of Education in the Marin Cabinet from 2019 to 2020 and again from 2021 to 2023. She is the current leader of the Left Alliance. Anderson has consistently been one of the most popular candidates in her own electoral district.[citation needed]
Sari Essayah(56)Christian Democrats			Minister of Agriculture and Forestry(since 2023) Other offices Leader of the Christian Democrats (since 2015) MP for Savo-Karelia (since 2015) MEP (2009–2014)		Essayah has served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Orpo Cabinet since 2023. Essayah had a successful career in sports before entering politics. She is the current leader of the Christian Democrats.
Pekka Haavisto(65)Independent (Green League)			MP for Helsinki(1987–1995, since 2007) Other offices Minister for Foreign Affairs (2019–2023) Minister of the Environment and Development (1995–1999) Leader of the Green League (1993–1995, 2018–2019)		Haavisto, a Green League politician and United Nations diplomat, has run as a candidate for the office of President twice before, in 2012 and 2018, both times finishing second behind the incumbent President Sauli Niinistö. He is running as a candidate of a constituency association with the endorsement of the Green League.
Jussi Halla-aho(52)Finns Party			Speaker of the Parliament of Finland(since 2023) Other offices Leader of the Finns Party (2017–2021) MP for Helsinki (2011–2014, since 2019) MEP (2014–2019)		Halla-aho is the current Speaker of the Parliament of Finland. Before entering national politics, he was best known for criticising multiculturalism and Finland's immigration policies in his popular online blog.
Hjallis Harkimo(70)Movement Now			Leader of Movement Now (since 2018) Other offices MP for Uusimaa (since 2015)		Harkimo is a businessman who has led his own political party, Movement Now, since 2018. Harkimo, who made a career as an investor in sports, also hosted the Finnish version of The Apprentice.
Olli Rehn(61)Independent (Centre Party)			Governor of the Bank of Finland (since 2018) Other offices Minister of Economic Affairs (2015–2016) European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro (2010–2014) European Commissioner for Enlargement (2004–2010) MP for Helsinki (1991–1995, 2015–2017)		Rehn is an economist who has served as the governor of the Bank of Finland since 2018. He previously served as a European Commissioner from 2004 to 2014. Rehn runs in the election as a candidate of a constituency association with the endorsement of the Centre Party.
Alexander Stubb(55)National Coalition Party			43rd Prime Minister of Finland (2014–2015) Other offices Minister of Finance (2015–2016) Minister for European Affairs and Trade (2011–2014) Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008–2011) Leader of the National Coalition Party (2014–2016) MEP (2004–2008) MP for Uusimaa (2011–2017)		Stubb began his career in politics in 2004, when he was elected to the European Parliament. After holding several offices as a minister, he served as the Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015. In the summer of 2017, Stubb was appointed Vice President of the European Investment Bank. He currently serves as a professor and the head of a unit at the European University Institute.
Jutta Urpilainen(48)Social Democratic Party of Finland			European Commissioner for International Partnerships(since 2019) Other offices Minister of Finance (2011–2014) Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (2008–2014) MP for Vaasa (2003–2019)		Urpilainen is the incumbent European Commissioner from Finland. A long-time MP and leader of the Social Democratic Party, she served as the Minister of Finance from 2011 to 2014.

· Candidates › Unsuccessful candidacies

Ano Turtiainen(56)

Candidate name and age,political party

Ano Turtiainen(56)

Candidate name and age,political party

Political office(s)

MP for Southeast Finland(2019–2023)

Details

Turtiainen is a former Member of Finnish Parliament for the Finns Party. After he was expelled from the party due to him posting a tweet perceived as mocking the murder of George Floyd in February 2021, he founded his own Power Belongs to the People party. In the end of August 2023, Turtiainen announced in his YouTube channel that he would be his party's candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Turtiainen believed that he would get help from Russia to collect the 20,000 endorsement cards needed for the official candidacy.

Paavo Väyrynen(77)

Candidate name and age,political party

Paavo Väyrynen(77)

Candidate name and age,political party

Political office(s)

MEP for Finland(1995–2007, 2014–2018) Other offices Minister for Foreign Trade and International Development from (2007–2011) Minister for Foreign Affairs (1977–1982, 1983–1987, 1991–1993) Minister of Labour (1976–1977) Minister of Education (1975–1976) MP for Lapland (1970–1991, 2007–2011) MP for Uusimaa (1991–1995)

Details

Väyrynen, a veteran politician, participated in the previous presidential elections as the Centre Party candidate on three occasions, securing the second position in 1988, third in 1994, and third in 2012. In 2018, he participated as an independent candidate and finished fourth. In the presidential poll commissioned by Yle in May 2023, Väyrynen was the favorite as the next president of around 2% of the respondents.

Candidate name and age,political party	Political office(s)	Campaign logo	Details
Ano Turtiainen(56)	MP for Southeast Finland(2019–2023)		Turtiainen is a former Member of Finnish Parliament for the Finns Party. After he was expelled from the party due to him posting a tweet perceived as mocking the murder of George Floyd in February 2021, he founded his own Power Belongs to the People party. In the end of August 2023, Turtiainen announced in his YouTube channel that he would be his party's candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Turtiainen believed that he would get help from Russia to collect the 20,000 endorsement cards needed for the official candidacy.
Paavo Väyrynen(77)	MEP for Finland(1995–2007, 2014–2018) Other offices Minister for Foreign Trade and International Development from (2007–2011) Minister for Foreign Affairs (1977–1982, 1983–1987, 1991–1993) Minister of Labour (1976–1977) Minister of Education (1975–1976) MP for Lapland (1970–1991, 2007–2011) MP for Uusimaa (1991–1995)		Väyrynen, a veteran politician, participated in the previous presidential elections as the Centre Party candidate on three occasions, securing the second position in 1988, third in 1994, and third in 2012. In 2018, he participated as an independent candidate and finished fourth. In the presidential poll commissioned by Yle in May 2023, Väyrynen was the favorite as the next president of around 2% of the respondents.

· Debates

Date