Huhtasaari Finns Party´s candidate in Presidential polls

The Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) on Saturday nominated Laura Huhtasaari as its candidate for the January 2018 presidential election.

The party council made the decision unanimously as there was no other aspirant for the polls, said a press release.

Huhtasaari was elected Vice Chair of the party in beating the Defence Minister Jussi Niinistö, currently a lawmaker of the Sininen tulevaisuus (Blue Reform), a newly formed party by the dissident leaders of the in the Parliament from the Perussuomalaiset.

The Perussuomalaiset, which was earlier a component of the three-party alliance government became an opposition party as the two other ruling parties- the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) and the he Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) decided not to stay in the same government after Jussi Halla-aho was made the party Chair in mid June this year.

Halla-aho is widely criticised for his extreme rightist views and hate speeches against immigrants.

More than 20 lawmakers of the party also left the Perussuomalaiset and joined the government.

Huhtasaari is also against gender neutral marriage, obligatory Swedish teaching, and gay adoption rights. She does not believe in evolution.

With the nomination of Huhtasaari, the cohort of presidential candidates from all the political parties in Finland is nearly complete.

Incumbent president Sauli Niinistö is running as an independent. The Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) candidate is Matti Vanhanen, the main opposition Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) nominated Tuula Haatainen, Vihreä Liitö (Green League) candidate is Pekka Haavisto, the Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) candidate is Merja Kyllönen, Suomenruotsalainenkansanpuolue (Swedish People’s Party of Finland-RKP) is Nils Torvalds and the The Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) candidate is Laura Huhtasaari. SuomenKristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats of Finland) Party is backing Niinistö.

Paavo Väyrynen is contesting for his newly formed Kansalaispuolue (Citizen’s Party).

The first public debate of all candidates is expected in late October. Niinistö has been reluctant to participate in all-candidate roundtables, but will do so in October.