HELSINKI, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Finnish President Tarja Halonen won the first round of the Nordic country's presidential election on Sunday, but failed to obtain a 50 percent majority needed to avoid a run-off against her closest challenger, official results showed.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station in Helsinki, capital of Finland, Jan. 15, 2006.

    With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, Halonen won 46.3 percent, with former finance minister Sauli Niinis to of the National Coalition Party second on 24.1 percent and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen of the Center Party third with 18.6 percent.

    The two leading candidates will face each other in a run-off on January 29. The votes of five other candidates were in single figures no more than four percent. The turnout was 73.8 percent of the 4.3 million eligible voters.

    Finland's Constitution stipulates that the president is elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term and can serve no more than two consecutive terms.

    Recent opinion polls have suggested a win for the 62-year-old Halonen, one of the most experienced political leaders in Finland,in the second round.

    Starting her political career in 1970s, she had held the ministerial portfolios of health and social affairs, justice and foreign affairs. In 2000, Halonen won the presidential election to become Finland's first female president in the history of the republic. Enditem