Civility prevails in first debate in second round of presidential election

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Finland’s two remaining presidential candidates met each other in their first one-on-one televised debate aired by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) on Thursday evening.
      Civil tones prevailed in the debate, and both Green League candidate Pekka Haavisto and National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö were critical of on-line commentators taking issue with the candidates’ personal lives.
      Haavisto said that most of the public has reacted well to the fact that he lives in a registered same-sex relationship with another man, hairdresser Antonio Flores. He also said that it is quite all right that candidates are “poked a bit” about relationships to see how they react to provocation.
     
National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö said that public debate on the issue of partners and spouses has been confusing on occasion.
      Niinistö also said that he feels that same-sex partners should have exactly the same right as married couples – including the right to adopt children. However, he also said that the title of “marriage” should be reserved for partnerships of men and women.
     
Niinistö is married to communications director Jenni Haukio, who is three decades younger than he is. Niinistö did not feel that being married to a young woman made him any more likely to win the race than Haavisto.
      “The candidates themselves put themselves in jeopardy by bringing their spouses forward. I feel as a starting point that we are choosing a president here”, Niinistö pointed out.
     
Both candidates were also asked about past comments and deeds. Niinistö was asked if he had used sarcasm against subordinates while serving as Minister of Finance.
      “I have used severe language, but I have tried to keep it focused on the issue at hand”, he answered.
     
Haavisto was asked about his past as a conscientious objector to military service. He said that at the end of the 1970s there were great divisions in Europe, and the threat of a nuclear war was very real, so he refused military service on moral grounds.
      Haavisto also said that he has later learned to appreciate soldiers through their international missions. Niinistö, meanwhile, said that he understands conscientious objectors, even though YLE pointed out that he had criticised them in an interview more than 20 years ago.
      “The times were different then. We all change and develop.”
     
The two candidates will meet for another televised debate on Friday on the MTV3 channel.
      A debate by Helsingin Sanomat and the Nelonen television network takes place on Tuesday next week.
      Advance voting in Finland continues until Monday, Jan. 31st, and at designated locations in other countries until Saturday the 28th. The actual election day is Sunday, February 5th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finalists in presidential race resume campaigning (25.1.2012)
  Late surge in support puts Haavisto in presidential runoff against Niinistö (23.1.2012)

Helsingin Sanomat