Who was the oldest president of Finland?
The oldest president of Finland at the time of taking office was C.G.E. Mannerheim, who was elected president in August 1944 at the age of 77. He was born on June 4, 1867, and died on January 27, 1951. The president who served to the highest age was Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who was 85 when his term ended in 1956.
Mannerheim’s background and career
Mannerheim is known above all as the Marshal of Finland and a military leader who led the White forces in the Civil War of 1918 and Finland’s defence forces in the Second World War. Parliament elected him president in the final stage of the Continuation War, when the country needed an authoritative leader to support the peace negotiations.
Presidential term
Mannerheim served as president from 1944 to 1946. During his term, Finland concluded an armistice with the Soviet Union in September 1944, ending the Continuation War. Because of his declining health, Mannerheim resigned in March 1946.
Significance in Finnish history
Although Mannerheim’s presidency was short, his role as a leader of Finland’s wartime defence is one of the most significant in the country’s history. He is still regarded as one of Finland’s most respected statesmen.
