Stubb announces bid for Presidential poll from Kokoomus

Former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb on Wednesday announced to contest in the Finland´s upcoming presidential election scheduled for January 2024 as the candidate of the ruling Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party).

Stubb, also a former Chairperson of the conservative Kokoomus announced his candidature from a press conference in Helsinki following request made on Monday by the party Chair and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

“Thank you for the opportunity and trust. It is a great honor to be a candidate in the presidential election,” Stubb wrote in his twitter late Wednesday night.

“I have been asked by Petteri Orpo and the Kokoomus party board to stand in the Finnish presidential elections in January 2024,” Stubb said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the press conference he said that in this global situation the answer is simple when the fatherland calls, he should go.

Kokoomus Chairperson Petteri Orpo welcomed the decision of Stubb and termed it as a great news.

“With foreign policy in turmoil, Alex's experience, expertise and vision are valuable for the whole Finland. This is the start of a great campaign!” Orpo write in a twitter post late Wednesday night.

Stubb, presently working in academia in Italy's Florence, served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015. He also served as Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade and Member of European Parliament (MEP).

He also led the Kokoomus from 2014 to 2016 but he lost the party leadership when Orpo defeated him in June 2016.

Earlier, veteran politician of Vihreä Liitto (Green Party) Pekka Haavisto, former Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland) lawmaker and Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn, Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) leader Jussi Halla-aho, Liike Nyt (Movement Now) lawmaker Harry Harkimo, former Keskusta Chair Paavo Väyrynen and Saara Huhtasaari of Freedom Alliance announced their candidatures for the 2024 presidential poll.

Main opposition party in parliament Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) Chair Sanna Marin on Wednesday announced the name of Jutta Urpilainen as the party's presidential candidate.