After attending faculty in Finland and later the U.S., Belgium and the U.Ok., Stubb entered politics in 2004 as a member of the European Parliament. He hit the Finnish large time in 2008 when — to his personal shock — he was named international minister.
Praised by allies for his high-energy method to politics, he was additionally criticized throughout his time in authorities for his often hasty statements, and was pressured to apologize after being accused of swearing at a gathering of the Nordic Council, a regional cooperation physique.
Throughout a tough 12 months as prime minister in 2014 he did not reverse his NCP’s declining reputation, and misplaced a parliamentary election in 2015 amid an financial hunch. After a subsequent spell as finance minister he stop Finnish politics in 2017, vowing by no means to return.
In the course of the five-month presidential election marketing campaign, observers say, Stubb earned the assist of voters by demonstrating a calmer and extra considerate demeanor throughout debates than had been his customized, and for being at pains to point out respect for his rivals.
“Nonetheless this election goes, will probably be good for Finland,” he stated in a debate with Haavisto earlier final week.
Stubb has stated he intends to be a unifying power in Finnish society, one thing the nation seems to want after a collection of racism scandals involving authorities ministers and, extra just lately, strikes over work circumstances and wages that paralyzed public providers.