President-elect visits future home at Mäntyniemi

Niinistö promises to be ”a dedicated president”

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“Welcome to your future home”, says President Tarja Halonen to Sauli Niinistö as he steps into the presidential residence of Mäntyniemi at noon on Monday.
      Niinistö, who will be sworn in as president on March 1st, walks to the official residence with his wife Jenni Haukio. The two are also met by Halonen’s husband Pentti Arajärvi.
     
“May I, once again?” Niinistö asks and kisses the back of Halonen’s extended hand.
      Niinistö, Halonen, and the journalists on the spot give out a laugh. The situation is a clear reference to the evening of presidential elections six years earlier, when Niinistö made the same gesture after his narrow defeat to Halonen.
     
Back then Niinistö was the loser, but now he has reason to celebrate. On Sunday evening the Finnish people chose him as Finland’s 12th president by a clear majority. Some members of the National Coalition Party suffered headaches on Monday morning, but the future presidential couple showed no sign of fatigue while examining their future home in Helsinki’s Meilahti district.
      This can be explained partly by the fact that the two had returned to their home in Espoo after Niinistö’s election party already before midnight.
      He said that he had slept well that night, after which he shovelled some snow, an action that many others have been engaged in of late.
     
Halonen amuses the journalists by comparing life in Mäntyniemi with a lengthy prison sentence. “Twelve years is the same as a life sentence according to the old way of thinking, if there is good behaviour.”
      “People are very adaptable”, Niinistö says.
     
The amount of space in Mäntyniemi is one thing that will need getting used to. There are 680 square metres of living space alone - enough for Lennu, Niinistö’s and Haukio’s dog, to live luxuriously.
      “Lennu will be spoiled rotten. There are many people here who have cats and dogs at home”, Halonen says.
      “It’s off to a good start already”, Niinistö responds.
     
After his visit to Mäntyniemi there is a press conference at the nearby Hotel Kalastajatorppa.
      At the press conference, a slightly fatigued Niinistö voices concern at the low voter turnout.
      “We must make sure that Finland does not become divided. We are all important in this country.”
     
Niinistö promises that he will be a “dedicated president”. However, exactly what that means is not made clear.
      He also does not disclose who he will choose to work at the presidential office. “Foreign policy skills and experience are very important”, he says.
     
After the press conference Niinistö is off to a meeting of the Finnish Football Association to deal with matters related to his resignation from the post of chairman of that organisation. After that, it’s back home for a quiet evening.
      “There are no possibilities to celebrate. Tomorrow is the opening of Parliament and on the following days there is something else.”
      He is also concerned about getting into shape.
      “I need to start a careful exercise programme, now that I have been so lazy for the past three months”, Niinistö laughs.
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Sauli Niinistö – a lone star (6.2.2012)

Helsingin Sanomat