Finnish presidential election, 2000

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Finnish presidential election, 2000
Flag of Finland.svg
  1994 16 January and 6 February 2000 2006  

  Tarja Halonen 2003.jpg Esko Aho 2010-05-28.jpg
Nominee Tarja Halonen Esko Aho
Party Social Democratic Centre
Popular vote 1,644,532 1,540,803
Percentage 51.63% 48.37%

President before election

Martti Ahtisaari
Social Democratic

Elected President

Tarja Halonen
Social Democratic

Finnish presidential election result, first round
Tarja Halonen
Esko Aho
Elisabeth Rehn Finnish presidential election, 2000 results by constituency (I round result).svg
Finnish presidential election result, first round
  Tarja Halonen
  Esko Aho
  Elisabeth Rehn
Finnish presidential election result, second round
Tarja Halonen
Esko Aho Finnish presidential election, 2000 results by constituency (II round result).svg
Finnish presidential election result, second round
  Tarja Halonen
  Esko Aho

Presidential elections were held in Finland on 16 January 2000, with a second round on 6 February. [1]

Finland Republic in Northern Europe

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland is a country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Norway to the north, Sweden to the northwest, and Russia to the east. Finland is a Nordic country and is situated in the geographical region of Fennoscandia. The capital and largest city is Helsinki. Other major cities are Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Turku.

Contents

The result was a victory for Tarja Halonen of the Social Democratic Party, who became the country's first female President. During the elections Halonen was the incumbent Minister for Foreign Affairs. President Martti Ahtisaari had indicated in January 1999 that he would accept the Social Democratic Party's nomination for the 2000 presidential elections, but only if no presidential primary was held. However, Jacob Söderman announced his candidacy at the start of April 1999, and during the final week of that month, Ahtisaari announced that he would not seek the Social Democratic presidential candidacy. In his memoirs, Ahtisaari claims that Tarja Halonen badly wanted to become President, a claim that Halonen has denied.

Tarja Halonen 11th President of Finland

Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician who served as the 11th President of Finland, and the first woman to hold the position, from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), and as the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary (1974-1975) and a member of the City Council of Helsinki (1977-1996). Halonen was a Social Democratic Party member of parliament from 1979 until her election to the presidency in 2000. She also served as a minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from 1987 to 1990, as Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2000.

Social Democratic Party of Finland registered political party in Finland

The Social Democratic Party of Finland, shortened to the Social Democrats, is a social-democratic political party in Finland. The party holds 35 seats in Finland's parliament. The party has set many fundamental policies of Finnish society during its representation in the Finnish Government. Founded in 1899, the SDP is Finland's oldest active political party. The SDP has a close relationship with Finland's largest trade union, SAK, and is a member of the Socialist International, the Party of European Socialists, and SAMAK.

There were three other female presidential candidates in 2000: Riitta Uosukainen of the National Coalition, Elisabeth Rehn of the Swedish People's Party, and Heidi Hautala of the Greens. Halonen's popularity rose significantly during the last few months before the first round of the 2000 presidential elections, while Uosukainen's and Rehn's popularity declined. Former Prime Minister Esko Aho, the Centrist presidential candidate, emerged as the second most popular candidate. Halonen received votes from women across party lines, and she was partly helped by her lack of a major left-wing opponent, and by her reputation as a tolerant, human rights-oriented person. The election was decided by slightly over 100,000 votes, and the voter turnout was much higher than in the 1996 municipal elections or in the 1999 parliamentary elections. [2] [3] [4]

Results

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Tarja Halonen Social Democratic Party 1,224,43140.01,644,53251.6
Esko Aho Centre Party 1,051,15934.41,540,80348.4
Riitta Uosukainen National Coalition Party 392,30512.8
Elisabeth Rehn Swedish People's Party 241,8777.9
Heidi Hautala Green League 100,7403.3
Ilkka Hakalehto True Finns 31,4051.0
Risto Kuisma Reform Group 16,9430.6
Invalid/blank votes9,29016,378
Total3,068,1501003,201,713100
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By Province

First Round

Province Halonen Aho Uosukainen Rehn Hautala Hakalehto Kuisma ElectorateVotes Valid votes Invalid votes
Southern Savonia 35,26043,78012,4333,0872,2251,060514135,15398,66298,359303
Northern Savonia 54,26568,79513,1415,3653,1021,538643203,996147,259146,849410
North Karelia 37,61242,99310,2512,9522,2401,179512136,78898,08397,739344
Kainuu 17,15827,7553,8571,27187662121972,97151,90651,757149
Uusimaa 356,278155,713113,87393,36041,1656,2905,1151,030,546774,121771,7942,327
Eastern Uusimaa 19,03012,0235,02914,4371,67236443870,20553,10352,993110
Southwest Finland 114,66278,96038,93120,5149,6083,1681,523360,024268,209267,366843
Tavastia Proper 43,20330,89015,6944,5042,661970616131,16698,87298,538334
Päijänne Tavastia 49,78835,40218,8915,1683,2441,180666159,063114,666114,339327
Kymenlaakso 49,68634,70319,4334,5612,836947835154,744113,433113,001432
South Karelia 29,34329,52820,2832,0271,818664433112,32584,39484,096298
Central Finland 59,85865,50115,5925,7314,6451,555723210,868154,006153,605401
Southern Ostrobothnia 23,33674,56714,1573,4951,4541,454361158,210119,150118,824326
Ostrobothnia 26,81632,4826,77836,0101,947640241150,093105,188104,914274
Satakunta 62,70152,05917,6955,3783,0901,950714194,211143,999143,587412
Pirkanmaa 120,01781,43638,37813,8579,2103,6521,784358,640269,210268,334876
Central Ostrobothnia 10,72425,8292,3333,00864159013257,95543,37343,257116
Northern Ostrobothnia 70,230100,31416,0767,3925,8282,6431,005280,748204,028203,488540
Lapland 42,68555,7129,2493,2852,313926458164,904115,045114,628417
Åland Islands 1,7792,7172316,475165141124,59011,44311,39251

Second Round

Province Halonen Aho ElectorateVotes Valid votes Invalid votes
Southern Savonia 46,66957,195135,153104,363103,864499
Northern Savonia 70,14986,573203,997157,250156,722528
North Karelia 48,61455,753136,788104,855104,367488
Kainuu 21,63634,10472,97155,95455,740214
Uusimaa 495,469290,3481,030,549790,870785,8175,053
Eastern Uusimaa 28,09625,95370,20554,34254,049293
Southwest Finland 152,539123,259360,024277,162275,7981,364
Tavastia Proper 56,55745,674131,166102,830102,231599
Päijänne Tavastia 66,66052,298159,063119,560118,958602
Kymenlaakso 67,04850,775154,744118,443117,823620
South Karelia 41,74244,091112,32586,32085,833487
Central Finland 78,49584,227210,868163,374162,722652
Southern Ostrobothnia 32,06593,911158,210126,547125,976571
Ostrobothnia 39,01969,890150,093109,447108,909538
Satakunta 79,60471,178194,211151,471150,782689
Pirkanmaa 157,589120,669358,640279,668278,2581,410
Central Ostrobothnia 13,29832,75057,95546,22046,048172
Northern Ostrobothnia 90,618126,767280,748218,316217,385931
Lapland 53,96568,162164,904122,674122,127547
Åland Islands 4,7007,22624,59012,04711,926121

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  2. Retired Presidents of the Republic in order of term:
    1. President Martti Ahtisaari
    2. President Tarja Halonen
  3. Speaker of the Parliament Paula Risikko
  4. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä
  5. President of the Supreme Court Timo Esko
  6. President of the Supreme Administrative Court Pekka Vihervuori
  7. Chief of Defence Jarmo Lindberg
  8. Chancellor of Justice Jaakko Jonkka
  9. Archbishop of Turku Tapio Luoma
  10. Chancellor of the Order of the Cross of Liberty Gustav Hägglund
  11. Chancellor of the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland Aino Sallinen
  12. Chancellor of the University of Helsinki Thomas Wilhelmsson
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The following lists events that happened during 2000 in Finland.

References

  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p606 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Tapani Ruokanen, On a Journey: Martti Ahtisaari's Story / Matkalla. Martti Ahtisaaren tarina. Helsinki: Otava Ltd., 2009, pgs. 397-411
  3. Timo Vihavainen, "The Welfare Finland" (Hyvinvointi-Suomi), pg. 903
  4. Hannu Lehtilä, Tarja Halonen: One of Us (Tarja Halonen - Yksi meistä), Helsinki: Otava Ltd., 2005