Finland's pragmatic president Sauli Niinisto, whose skills at staving off tensions with the Nordic nation's powerful neighbour Russia have earned him popularity among voters, was poised to win another six-year term following voting Sunday. The 69-year-old, who campaigned as an independent, has skilfully shifted the EU member state closer to NATO without antagonising Russia, with whom the Nordic nation shares the longest border in the bloc. Preliminary results showed Niinisto ahead with more than 64 percent of votes, far ahead of the seven other candidates.



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