International media follows Finnish elections
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Newspapers in Sweden gave extensive coverage on Monday to the Finnish Presidential elections. Dagens Nyheter wrote on its editorial page that in the next six years, Finland would be represented by Tarja Halonen, an experienced woman endowed with a special glow - a mother of the nation as it were. The newspaper also notes that the election brought Sauli Niinistö back to the centres of power of Finnish politics.
In addition, the newspaper takes up the issue of centre-right political cooperation in Finland, noting that the election divided Finns in a different manner than before; supporters of the Centre Party appear to have followed the example of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and voted for Niinistö.
Another Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet, also sees Vanhanen’s support of Niinistö in the second round to be a shot in the arm for the centre-right in Finland. The paper notes that Halonen, who won "only" slightly more than half of the votes, must now show herself to be the "President of the whole nation".
The late-edition tabloid Aftonbladet called on Swedes to learn from Finland’s brisk and open debate on security policy.
The Finnish Presidential elections were among the main stories in the Russian media on Monday, with the main television stations showing footage of the deciding moments.
Russian commentators saw Halonen as a supporter of social justice. The NTV network also underscored Halonen’s negative views of Finnish membership in NATO.
The renowned St. Petersburg television commentator Alexander Chizhenok followed the Finnish elections in Lappeenranta and Imatra along with a few other Russian journalists. In his view, Halonen’s election secures the continuity of relations between Finland and Russia.
Niinistö also made a positive impression on the Russian journalists, who were offered Finnish sausage at a Niinistö campaign stand.
None of Germany’s leading newspapers sent reporters to cover the Finnish Presidential elections, relying instead on news agency dispatches.
Süddeutsche Zeitung took a humorous tack, focusing on the wooing of rural Finns by both Halonen and Niinistö.
"Social Democrat Halonen apparently proved to be the better farmer, so she will remain President."
Several newspapers saw Niinistö’s support as unexpectedly high. "Many Finns would have liked a change", wrote Financial Times Deutschland.
Berliner Zeitung was aware of Halonen's background as former chair of the gay rights organisation SETA, and recalled that she had denounced the US attack on Iraq at the UN.
"No other Finnish politician has spoken so directly on international stages", the newspaper wrote.
There was little interest in Estonia in the Presidential elections, with media attention focusing on the uproar surrounding reports of wild parties held at the Presidential Palace by the grandchildren of Estonia’s President Arnold Rüütel. The affair has led to the resignation of a police official responsible for guarding the palace.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 31.1.2006 - TODAY |
 International media follows Finnish elections
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