Mauno

Koivisto
Mauno Henrik Koivisto was the
ninth President of Finland from 1982
to 1994. He was also the Prime
Minister of Finland from 1979-1982
and again from 1986-1987. He was
born in Turku, Finland on November
25th, 1923 and died on May 12th,
2017.
Foreign
policies
- At the start of his presidency Mauno
Koivisto was 58, with plenty of experience
in domestic politics, particularly in
economic policy. Contrastingly, he was not
so knowledgeable in the field of foreign
policy and approached it very cautiously
during his first six-year term.

- Koivisto’s foreign policies continued

broadly along the lines of those of his
predecessors, Kekkonen and Juho
Paasikivi, especially with regard to
relations with the Soviet Union. The
Finnish-Soviet Friendship Agreement was
extended for 20 more years.
Domestic
policies

- In domestic politics Koivisto was keen to

strengthen the roles of Parliament and the
government, while reducing the President’s
own power and influence.

- During Koivisto’s second term, from 1988 to

1994, Finland’s external relations changed
greatly, due to upheavals in both Eastern and
Western Europe.
Cultural life/development during
Koivisto's presidency
• The 1980s brought intense development to Finland, helping
turn the country into one of the world’s best economic success
stories.
• For example, it’s thought of as the golden age of the welfare
state, a time in which child allowance, unemployment benefits
and pensions were increased and working hours were reduced.
Furthermore, economic growth was steady and there was
almost full employment in Finland.
• This constant economic growth led to urbanization (people
moving from urban areas to cities).