Case summary:
Expand/minimize fact box
- Finnish presidential candidate Alexander Stubb has stated that he will allow the storage and transport of nuclear weapons in Finland.
- The statement has led to debate and has influenced voters, including Eija Piispanen who will now vote for the opposing candidate.
- Stubb emphasizes that there is no question of deploying weapons in Finland, but that the current nuclear agreement Finland has should be revised.
- Stubb’s opponent in the presidential election, Pekka Haavisto, disagrees and believes that Finland has no need to store nuclear weapons.
- The issue of nuclear weapons is one of the few issues where the two presidential candidates completely disagree.
- From holding a commanding twenty percent lead in the polls, Stubbs’ lead has shrunk to 8 percent.
The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by NRK’s journalists before publication.
It is morning at one of the hypermarkets in Lappeenranta. A medium-sized Finnish city. Eija Piispanen has spent the day on some action. The pink carrier net with Moomin motif is safely placed in the shopping basket.
Piispanen is upset that the favorite to become Finnish president in a TV debate opened up about allowing nuclear weapons on Finnish soil.
– Firstly, I am opposed to nuclear weapons. That Stubb can give the green light, so that nuclear weapons can be introduced in Finland, or at least transported over Finnish soil, is the basis for my decision not to vote for him, she says firmly.
ATOM-NO: Eija Piispanen would no longer vote for Stubb, after he opened up about allowing nuclear weapons to be stored or transported in Finland.
Photo: Joakim Reigstad / NRK
– The ban we have now is good and we should continue to have it, she adds.
Shall not deploy weapons
It was in one of YLE’s presidential duels that the topic was brought up.
– We now have the opportunity to have a nuclear deterrent. It is part of our general security and part of our NATO membership, said Alexander Stubb in the debate.
He emphasized that there is no question of deploying weapons in Finland, but that the current nuclear agreement Finland has should be revised.
ISFRONT: In YLE’s TV duel on 1 February, the topic was brought up for the first time in the Finnish presidential election campaign. The candidates completely disagree on the nuclear issue.
Photo: AP
– Now it is about us communicating to the rest of the world, and especially to Russia, that Finland has no restrictions whatsoever in our NATO membership. It would be absurd to completely ban the transport of nuclear weapons in the air, at sea or on land, Stubb pointed out.
Can be of great importance
For several weeks, 55-year-old Stubb has been the clear favorite to become Finland’s next president. He belongs to the political right in Finland and is running as a candidate for the governing party Samlingspartiet.
The president has a particular responsibility for the country’s foreign and security policy.
It is therefore quite important what a president thinks about such a question. Although a decision cannot be taken by the president alone, but in “collaboration with the government”, as it is called.
Today, there are five NATO countries in Europe that store American nuclear weapons. Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. In addition, France and Great Britain have their own nuclear weapons.
ATOMIC BOMBS: These are American B-61 atomic bombs. This type is 24 times more powerful than the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 and can therefore cause enormous damage.
Photo: SSGT PHIL SCHMITTEN / SSGT PHIL SCHMITTEN
Haavisto completely disagrees
Stubb’s opponent in the presidential election, Pekka Haavisto, who was foreign minister when Finland became a NATO member last April, has a completely different view of the issue.
He is the left-wing candidate, and is supported by the Greens, although his election campaign is independent.
– When Finland joined NATO, we made it clear that we joined based on our current legislation. We have a valid nuclear energy law, which currently does not allow the import of nuclear weapons to Finnish soil, he said during the debate.
DISAGREE: Pekka Haavisto does not want nuclear weapons on Finnish soil. Nor will he reconsider the nuclear agreement in Finland.
Photo: AFP
Haavisto emphasized that he still has contacts in NATO and has used them to gain better knowledge of the issue.
– After speaking with Nato, they currently have no need to move the nuclear weapons in Europe anywhere. It is good for us to know that nuclear safeguards exist. The deterrent effect is there, but there is no need to move or store the weapons, Haavisto believed.
Threat from Russia
It is known that Russia has significant quantities of nuclear weapons and there has long been a fear that Russia will use them, for example in Ukraine.
Russia has also threatened to place nuclear weapons in Belarus.
The issue of nuclear weapons is one of the few issues where the two presidential candidates completely disagree.
For a long time it seemed that Stubb would take a comfortable victory over his opponent,
But in the last few days something has changed.
From holding a commanding twenty percent lead in the polls, Stubbs’ lead has shrunk to 8 percent.
THEORETICAL: Timo Valle believes that the question of nuclear weapons on Finnish soil is theoretical. At least for so long.
Photo: Joakim Reigstad / NRK
But it is not necessarily the case that the nuclear issue is decisive for voters.
– This is completely theoretical and has nothing to do with my choice of candidate, says Timo Valle.
He is also on a shopping trip this day.
– I don’t care too much, but I think we can store nuclear weapons in Finland if it feels right. I obviously hope it will not be necessary, but what will be necessary tomorrow, nobody knows, says Valle to NRK.
2024-02-09 14:11:28
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