Olli Rehn to return to Finland’s central bank and ECB after election loss
Centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb narrowly wins first round of presidential election
29 January 2024 - 20:00
byAnne Kauranen
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Olli Rehn arrives at a presidential elections debate at Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, in Helsinki, Finland, January 25 2024. Picture: LEHTIKUVA/REUTERS
Helsinki — Olli Rehn, whose campaign to become Finnish president ended on Sunday, will on January 31 return to the position of governor of the Bank of Finland and a member of the European Central Bank's governing council, he said on Monday.
Rehn had been on leave from his job since June of last year to campaign for the presidency, but failed in Sunday’s first round to qualify for the run-off election to be held next month.
Rehn said his rapid return to the central bank after the campaign was in line with Finland’s constitution, as well as the Bank of Finland’s and the ECB’s ethical rules.
“I have followed the letter and spirit of these rules very carefully, including the independence, and will of course continue to do so,” Rehn said in an email, referring to the central bank’s independence from political influence.
Centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb of the National Coalition Party narrowly won the first round of Finland’s presidential election on Sunday. He will face liberal Green Party member Pekka Haavisto in a run-off, official data showed.
With all votes counted, Stubb came first with 27.2% support, followed by Haavisto on 25.8%, and nationalist Jussi Halla-aho third with 19.0% support.
A run-off between the top two will be held on February 11.
Finland is electing a new president to lead the country’s foreign and security policy in its new role within Nato after it broke with decades of nonalignment to join the Western defence alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“You know what, we made it to the final, but the competition will only begin now,” Stubb, a former prime minister, told his supporters. His rival for the second round, former foreign minister Haavisto, is a human rights defender who has worked also as a peace negotiator. Haavisto would become Finland’s first openly gay president if elected.
Voter turnout stood at 74.9%, official data showed, up from 69.9% in the last presidential election in 2018.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Olli Rehn to return to Finland’s central bank and ECB after election loss
Centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb narrowly wins first round of presidential election
Helsinki — Olli Rehn, whose campaign to become Finnish president ended on Sunday, will on January 31 return to the position of governor of the Bank of Finland and a member of the European Central Bank's governing council, he said on Monday.
Rehn had been on leave from his job since June of last year to campaign for the presidency, but failed in Sunday’s first round to qualify for the run-off election to be held next month.
Rehn said his rapid return to the central bank after the campaign was in line with Finland’s constitution, as well as the Bank of Finland’s and the ECB’s ethical rules.
“I have followed the letter and spirit of these rules very carefully, including the independence, and will of course continue to do so,” Rehn said in an email, referring to the central bank’s independence from political influence.
Centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb of the National Coalition Party narrowly won the first round of Finland’s presidential election on Sunday. He will face liberal Green Party member Pekka Haavisto in a run-off, official data showed.
With all votes counted, Stubb came first with 27.2% support, followed by Haavisto on 25.8%, and nationalist Jussi Halla-aho third with 19.0% support.
A run-off between the top two will be held on February 11.
Finland is electing a new president to lead the country’s foreign and security policy in its new role within Nato after it broke with decades of nonalignment to join the Western defence alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“You know what, we made it to the final, but the competition will only begin now,” Stubb, a former prime minister, told his supporters. His rival for the second round, former foreign minister Haavisto, is a human rights defender who has worked also as a peace negotiator. Haavisto would become Finland’s first openly gay president if elected.
Voter turnout stood at 74.9%, official data showed, up from 69.9% in the last presidential election in 2018.
Reuters
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