78 Facts About Alexander Stubb

Alexander Stubb previously served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015.

Alexander Stubb was then appointed Minister for European Affairs and Trade in the Cabinet of Jyrki Katainen.

When Katainen stepped down as Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Coalition Party in 2014, Stubb was elected as party chairman.

Alexander Stubb went on to form a five-party government coalition, and was officially appointed Prime Minister by President Sauli Niinisto on 24 June 2014.

In 2016, Alexander Stubb's leadership was challenged from within the party by MP Elina Lepomaki and Interior Minister Petteri Orpo.

Alexander Stubb's father worked in the business of professional ice hockey; he was the CEO of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association from 1976 to 1983, and worked as the NHL Director of Euro Scouting.

Alexander Stubb played ice hockey in HIFK until his teen years.

Alexander Stubb started playing golf when he was twelve years old and during high school played in the Finnish national golf team.

In 1986, Alexander Stubb graduated from Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, US, and, two years later, graduated from the Gymnasiet Larkan in Helsinki, then completed his military service.

Alexander Stubb won a golf scholarship to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, US He was a member of the Finnish national golf team and intended to become a professional golfer after graduation, but studying with political scientist Brent Nelsen and other faculty caused him to quit golf after a year to focus on his studies.

Alexander Stubb graduated with a BA degree in political science from Furman University in 1993.

Alexander Stubb speaks five languages: Swedish, Finnish, English, French, and German.

In 1995, Alexander Stubb graduated with an MA degree in political science from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.

Alexander Stubb then went on to pursue a doctorate at the London School of Economics and Political Science under the supervision of William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire, obtaining his PhD degree in international politics in June 1999.

Between 1995 and 1997, Alexander Stubb was a researcher at the Finnish Foreign Office, and then at the Academy of Finland from 1997 to 1999.

From 1999 to 2001, Alexander Stubb was a researcher in Finland's representation in the European Union in Brussels, and a member of the Finnish government's delegation to the intergovernmental negotiations for the Treaty of Nice.

Alexander Stubb served as an MEP for Finland from 2004 to 2008.

Alexander Stubb was elected in 2004 with 115,225 votes as a member of the National Coalition Party.

Alexander Stubb was a member of the Committee on Budgetary Control and a vice-president of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

Alexander Stubb was a substitute member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Alexander Stubb called for greater awareness of the costs of translation, which he calculated as 511 million euros in 2005 for the Parliament, Commission and Council together.

Alexander Stubb was vice-president of European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.

On his appointment, Alexander Stubb was described as a competent politician and a supporter of Finland's accession to NATO, stating that he does not understand Finland's non-alignment policy.

In July 2010, Alexander Stubb invited the head of Al-Jazeera Wadah Khanfar and former President Martti Ahtisaari to discuss about the role of media in conflict resolution.

In October 2010, Alexander Stubb visited the Middle East and discussed the Middle Eastern conflict with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Jyrki Katainen, the Finnish Finance Minister and chairman of National Coalition Party, supported Alexander Stubb stating he was surprising, courageous and that he "puts a smile on one's face".

In 2011, Alexander Stubb stood for election to the Finnish Parliament for the first time and was elected MP.

Alexander Stubb was the second-most-popular candidate in the election, in which the National Coalition Party became the largest party.

Alexander Stubb became Minister for Europe and Foreign Trade in Jyrki Katainen's cabinet.

When Jyrki Katainen stepped down as Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Coalition Party, Alexander Stubb was elected as party chairman in June 2014 over his two rivals, Paula Risikko and Jan Vapaavuori.

Alexander Stubb supported the proposal to implement basic income experiments in the country.

In November 2014, Alexander Stubb organized Northern Future Forum, a meeting of Prime Ministers of Northern Europe, in Startup Sauna in Aalto University campus.

In March 2015, Alexander Stubb invited companies and officials to an event to discuss industrial Internet and Internet of Things.

Alexander Stubb resigned from the office days after the election and left office on 29 May 2015.

Alexander Stubb was appointed Minister of Finance on 29 May 2015 by newly elected Prime Minister Juha Sipila.

Alexander Stubb demanded "structural reforms, structural reforms and more structural reforms".

In November 2015, Alexander Stubb said at the Finnish Parliament that about 90 percent of the Finnish authoritatives supported introduction of administrative registration.

In November and December 2015, Alexander Stubb was in the middle of a scandal when he was accused of lying to the Finnish Parliament consistently and deliberately.

On 15 June 2017, Alexander Stubb was chosen as the vice-president of the European Investment Bank, after the previous representative from Finland Jan Vapaavuori had vacated the seat.

Alexander Stubb left his duties in the Parliament on 30 July 2017 in order to assume his new position.

Alexander Stubb later commented that he had no interest in returning to the Finnish politics, but could be interested in running for the presidency of the European Commission or European Council.

In June 2017, Alexander Stubb was nominated by former President Martti Ahtisaari to assume the leadership of the Crisis Management Initiative, a non-governmental organisation that works to prevent and resolve conflicts.

Alexander Stubb's position was confirmed by the board on 29 November 2017.

On 2 October 2018, Alexander Stubb launched his bid for presidency of the European Commission as the lead candidate of the European People's Party.

On 8 November 2018, Alexander Stubb lost in EPP's Spitzenkandidat election against Manfred Weber, the group leader for the European People's Party in the European Parliament.

Alexander Stubb started in the position on 1 May 2020.

Ahead of the Finnish presidential election in January 2024, Alexander Stubb was constantly among the names that were mentioned as the National Coalition Party's presidential candidate.

On 14 August 2023, the board of the National Coalition Party decided to formally request Alexander Stubb to be the presidential candidate.

On 16 August 2023, Alexander Stubb announced that he would accept National Coalition Party's candidacy in the presidential election.

Alexander Stubb succeeded Sauli Niinisto as President of Finland on 1 March 2024 when he was sworn in before Finland's parliament.

Alexander Stubb is the first President from the Swedish-speaking minority since Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim who ruled the country from 1944 to 1946.

In September 2024, Alexander Stubb said that Finland is not ready to recognize a Palestinian state.

Alexander Stubb defended Finland's decision to buy a missile defense system called David's Sling from Israel despite the ongoing Gaza war.

On 7 March 2024, Alexander Stubb made his first foreign trip as Finland's new president to NATO's Nordic Response military exercise in northern Norway.

When he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2008, Alexander Stubb gave a speech in which he argued in favour of the EU taking an active role in international politics.

Alexander Stubb noted that while the EU is the world's largest economy, it is not a superpower but a regional soft power.

Alexander Stubb insisted that he is no longer the "pure federalist" that he used to be when he was a researcher.

Alexander Stubb has expressed his support for Turkey's EU membership in 2010.

Alexander Stubb warned that Brexit could pose a "Lehman Brothers moment" that could lead to the collapse of the EU.

Alexander Stubb held early on that Finland should apply for membership of NATO.

Alexander Stubb is seen as a representative of the National Coalition Party's liberal wing.

Alexander Stubb has characterised himself as a liberal, as well as a moderate liberal.

Alexander Stubb wants to bring about a "more positive way of doing politics".

Alexander Stubb believes everyone should be appreciated and respected even when there are disagreements.

Alexander Stubb believes that the most important political divide in modern politics is that between the supporters of globalisation and opponents of globalisation.

An active columnist, Alexander Stubb has stated that he has "always been of the opinion that matters must be discussed openly and honestly".

In 2016, Alexander Stubb started to write columns for the Financial Times.

Alexander Stubb is one of the most active Twitter users among European leaders.

Alexander Stubb has co-authored an e-book in Finnish about what to do on Twitter.

Alexander Stubb regularly contributes to the STG channel on YouTube.

Alexander Stubb is the first person of overseas origin to become the First Lady of Finland.

Alexander Stubb resided in Westend, Espoo, before his election as president.

Alexander Stubb previously owned two cats but one died in 2024.

Alexander Stubb owns a cat which he adopted from a rescue organisation in 2016.

Alexander Stubb is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Alexander Stubb ran his best marathon time, 3:08:13, in the 2015 Frankfurt Marathon.

Alexander Stubb has been a familiar sight at HIFK's home games, at the Helsinki Ice Hall.

Alexander Stubb speaks and understands both Finnish and Swedish natively and speaks English, French, German and Italian.