Finns are voting today to elect their new president, an office with greater demands after tensions with neighboring Russia escalated following the outbreak of war in Ukraine.

With more limited powers than the prime minister, the head of state handles foreign policy in cooperation with the government and is the supreme commander of Finland’s armed forces.

Having maintained a neutral stance during the Cold War, Finland last year became NATO’s 31st member, to the chagrin of Russia, with which it shares a 1,340km border.

For the first round of the presidential election, two Finnish political figures are leading among nine candidates, according to opinion polls: conservative former prime minister Alexander Stubb and former foreign minister Pekka Haavisto from the Green party. In third place, according to the polls, is the far-right candidate of the Finns Party, Jusi Hala-aho.

The polls open at 09.00 (local and Greek time) and close at 20.00.

Relations between Finland and Russia have deteriorated significantly since February 2022 and the Russian attack on Ukraine.

After its neighbor joins NATO in April 2023, Moscow has promised “countermeasures”.

In August, Finland experienced an influx of visa-free migrants at its eastern border. Helsinki then accused Moscow of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its doorstep and closed its border with Russia in November.