Both candidates for the second round are familiar figures in Brussels and capitals beyond. Stubb was a member of the European Parliament before becoming foreign minister and then prime minister, while Haavisto played a key role, alongside Niinistö, in paving the way for Finland to join NATO last year.
Analysts said the days leading up to the second round will be intense for the two candidates as they compete for the loyalty of right-leaning voters who supported Hala Aho or centrist candidate Olli Rehn, who received 15.4 percent in the first round.
“Now they will be examined in more detail and measured against each other in a way never before,” Asa von Schulz, a political scientist at the University of Helsinki, said during a panel discussion Sunday night on Finnish national broadcaster Yle. .
Stubb is seen as an insider on international affairs and a confident political player who enjoys the limelight. However, he was sometimes criticized for his rudeness: he once had to apologize after being accused of swearing at a meeting of the Nordic Council, a regional cooperation body.
Haavisto also has a long foreign policy record. He is often less forceful in debates than Stubb, but is seen as a quietly effective agent.
Both candidates represent Finland's main political parties: Stubb as a long-time lawmaker for the center-right National Coalition Party, and Haavisto for the center-left Green Party.
As the final results come in, both Stubb and Haavisto said voters will be asked to make a key decision on who can best manage Finland's security.
“Voters will have to decide who has the most foreign policy experience and who could be most effective as NATO Supreme Commander in Finland, as well as who best aligns with their values,” Staub said.
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