President reluctant to be party candidate for reelection

President Sauli Niinistö said Monday that if he decides to run for reelection, he would prefer to run through an election association and not as a party candidate.

He said on that he had talked with conservative National Coalition Party chairman Petteri Orpo, and Orpo had said nothing against the idea. In 2012, Niinistö was elected as a candidate of the National Coalition Party.

Local commentators said the option Niinistö chose was a surprise. The Finnish constitution determines that at least 20,000 signatures are needed for someone without party nomination to run for the president.

Niinistö did not give an outright pledge that he would stand for reelection, but said that he would assess the support he enjoys.

He underlined that the president is practically outside party politics. He referred to the curb of presidential domestic powers in 2000.

So far, the ruling Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) has nominated former prime minister Matti Vanhanen, while the VihreäLiitö (Green League) nominated MP Pekka Haavisto and the Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) with Merja Kyllonen, a member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Local commentators said that even though Niinistö would be formally a candidate of an election association, the conservatives would nevertheless flag for him.