Finland votes for Gay President

[HungFist]

Yesterday's news: In Finland's two round presidential elections, people voted a gay candidate Pekka Haavisto for the second round.
* (background: the elections normally have two rounds: the first one eliminates everyone except the two most popular candidates, unless someone gets more than 50% of the votes, in which case a second round is not needed)

Today's news: "Vote for Pekka "Scare-Nigger" Haavisto!
People figured out that Haavisto would have a scarecrow effect on Muslim immigrants, who would refuse to move into a country that has a gay president!

To be honest, that was quite clever

[Markgway]

So what was the ballot question?

What would you rather have, folks, a poof or a paki?

[HungFist]

Haavisto is unlikely to win, though. In the first round, he got 18% of the votes, against the 36% of Sauli Niinistö (the non-gay candidate). It's also been suggested some of Haavisto's votes were "strategic votes", or in English, some people who support Niinistö voted Haavisto only to prevent more "dangerous/popular" candidates from advancing to the second round. They believe Haavisto will make an easy opponent for Niinistö who was already popular enough to practically ensure his place in the second round.

However, Haavisto really has become a phenomenon. Many people sympathize with him as he's a great humanist. I think some people who didn't even vote in the first round kinda "woke up" now with Haavisto's success and phenomenal media visibility since last night.

Pekka Haavisto (right), who "lives in sin with an immigrant" (left)


Old schooler Niinistö, the more likely next president

[HungFist]

Unfortunately Haavisto lost (38% vs 62%), but it was a very intesting election. For once even people who are not into politics got interested in politics. 38% of Finns (48.8 in the capital area%) supported a humanist gay candidate who is in a registered relationship with a South American male - as opposed to supporting the more conservative, "business candidate" Niinistö. Something that people can't just ignore. It was a victory for more open minded Finland for sure.

(Niinistö is a conservative in comparison, but in reality he is also an open- and internationally minded man. I'm sure he'll make a good president, he's just a bit boring...)

[bradavon]

People figured out that Haavisto would have a scarecrow effect on Muslim immigrants, who would refuse to move into a country that has a gay president!

Was that really the reason?

It's good generally though obviously. Has there ever been an openly gay president or prime minster? Anywhere.

[HungFist]

People figured out that Haavisto would have a scarecrow effect on Muslim immigrants, who would refuse to move into a country that has a gay president!

Was that really the reason?

In case you missed it, that was a joke... (that I even went to explain because I assumed people wouldn't get a joke)

It's good generally though obviously. Has there ever been an openly gay president or prime minster? Anywhere.

Iceland's prime ministed Johanna Sigurdardottir, and Germany's foreign ministed Guido Westerwelle come to mind.

[bradavon]

In case you missed it, that was a joke... (that I even went to explain because I assumed people wouldn't get a joke)

I didn't. I was just checking. Thanks.

Iceland's prime ministed Johanna Sigurdardottir, and Germany's foreign ministed Guido Westerwelle come to mind.

Guido Westerwelle isn't Germany's Chancellor but I didn't know about Johanna Sigurdardottir.

The real controversy would be over a gay male pm or president though.