Mauno Koivisto

president of Finland

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June 30, 2026

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Mauno Koivisto served as the president of Finland, first elected in 1988 and reelected in 1994. He succeeded Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, who had been president since 1956. Koivisto's presidency marked a period of significant foreign policy shifts for Finland, including the end of the mutual defense agreement with Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Finland's subsequent application for membership in the European Union. He was succeeded by Martti Ahtisaari in 1994.1

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Finland
The postwar period
…succeeded by the Social Democrat Mauno Koivisto, who was reelected in 1988. Koivisto was in turn succeeded in 1994 by another Social Democrat, Martti Ahtisaari.
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…succeeded by the Social Democrat Mauno Koivisto, who was reelected in 1988. Koivisto was in turn succeeded in 1994 by another Social Democrat, Martti Ahtisaari.
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