Mauno Henrik Koivisto

Koivisto, Mauno (b. 25 Nov. 1923). Finnish President 1982–91 Born in Turku, the Social Democrat (from 1947) became a successful banker, which prepared him for the post of Minister of Finance, 1966–7, and 1972. In this position, and as President of the Bank of Finland (1968–82), he advocated a tight monetary policy. He was Prime Minister in 1968–70, and 1979–82. As interim President from 1981 and elected President from 1982, he continued Kekkonen's policy of neutrality, and in 1983 renewed the Finnish-Soviet friendship treaty for a further twenty years. Re-elected in 1988, he resigned in 1991 amidst the country's worst economic crisis since World War II.

Mauno Henrik Koivisto 1923-, Finnish politician. He was director of the Helsinki Workers' Savings Bank (1959-68) and then governor of the Bank of Finland (1968-82). As a Social Democrat he served as minister of finance (1966-67, 1972). He was prime minister (1968-70, 1979-80) in center-left coalition governments. In 1981 he became interim president, taking over from the incapacitated Urho Kekkonen . He was elected president in 1982, resigning all party posts, and was reelected in 1988. He continued Kekkonen's foreign policy of neutrality and closeness with the USSR.