who was the oldest president of Finland
Finland’s oldest president was Urho Kekkonen, who served as president of the Republic of Finland from 1956 to 1982. He was born on September 3, 1900 and died on August 31, 1986. Kekkonen was a significant figure in the political history of Finland and his presidency was exceptionally long, a total of 25 years.
Urho Kekkonen’s life and career
Urho Kekkonen was born in Pielavede and studied law at the University of Helsinki. He started his political career in the parliament in 1936 and held several ministerial positions before his election as president. Kekkonen was particularly known for his foreign policy, which emphasized good relations with the Soviet Union, which was important during the Cold War.
Kekkonen’s presidential terms
Kekkonen’s presidency was full of significant events and changes. During his time, Finland developed economically and socially. Kekkonen was also active in international relations and served, among other things, as the host of the European Security and Cooperation Conference (ESCY) in Helsinki in 1975.
Kekkonen’s significance in Finnish history
Urho Kekkonen’s long presidency left a lasting mark on Finnish political culture. During his time, Finland maintained its independence and developed its own foreign policy line, known as the “Paasikivi-Kekkonen line”. This line emphasized good relations with the eastern neighbor and neutrality in international conflicts.
