HELSINKI, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Social Democratic Party on Saturday elected Member of Parliament (MP) Tuula Haatainen as its candidate for the January 2018 presidential election.
Haatainen emerged as the winner in an internal ballot open to party members. There were two other candidates in the vote.
Addressing the party council meeting in Jyvaskyla, Haatainen said Finland has attained a strong position without being a NATO member and she saw no reason for a NATO membership in the future either.
"But cooperation with NATO is consistent with our interests," she said, calling for a clear and active approach in the European Union.
Haatainen condemned terrorism in the light of the recent stabbings in Turku, but underlined that rule-of-law should prevail the combat against terrorism.
Haatainen, 57, has a high profile in social and health affairs. She got 8,050 votes, the runner-up MP Maarit Feldt-Ranta got 7,013 and MP SIrpa Paatero 1,400.
With the nomination of Haatainen, the cohort of presidential candidates from all the political parties in Finland is nearly complete.
Incumbent president Sauli Niinisto is running as an independent. The Centrist candidate is Matti Vanhanen, the Green candidate is Pekka Haavisto, the Left League candidate is Merja Kyllonen, the Swedish Party candidate is Nils Torvalds and the Finns Party candidate is Laura Huhtasaari. The Christian Democrats are backing Niinisto. MEP Paavo Vayrynen has said he plans to run as an independent.
The first public debate of all candidates is expected in late October. Niinisto has been reluctant to participate in all-candidate roundtables, but will do so in October.
