Helsinki: Finns are voting for a new president in a runoff ballot between a veteran, conservative front-runner and the country's first openly gay candidate from the small Greens party.
Ex-finance minister Sauli Niinisto leads polls by a wide margin over former environment minister Pekka Haavisto as polling stations opened nationwide in record cold temperatures.
About a third of the electorate, some 1.5 million voters, cast ballots in a week of advance voting before Sunday's election. Polling stations close at 8 pm (1800 GMT).
The new president will replace Tarja Halonen, one of Finland's most popular heads of state, who has served the maximum two six-year terms.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, February 05, 2012, 14:00