New NATO member Finland elects a president set to keep up hard line on neighboring Russia

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland is getting a new president after former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb narrowly won a runoff vote. He will take over for the next six years in March. The presidency is the key post in this Nordic country and Stubb will steer its foreign and security policy, including integrating the NATO newcomer into the military alliance’. Election results from Sunday’s runoff show center-right candidate Stubb of the National Coalition Party had 51.6% of the votes, while independent candidate, ex-Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto from the green left got 48.4% of the votes. Stubb is taking over from the hugely popular President Sauli Niinistö, whose second six-year term expires next month. He wasn’t eligible for reelection.