Johannes Virolainen

John Virolainen [ jɔhɑn ː ɛs virɔlɑi̯nɛn ] ( born January 31, 1914 in the rural community of Viipuri, † December 11, 2000 in Lohja ) was a Finnish politician and Prime Minister.

Karelian origin and World War II

Virolainen, who was committed member of the temperance movement, once said that he would drink his first beer when the Soviet Union Karelia zurückgäbe to Finland.

Political career

MP, party leader and parliament speaker

Virolainen began his political career in 1945 with the election of deputies of the Reichstag. There he represented until 1983, and later from 1987 to 1991, the interests of the Land League, the 1965 Finnish Centre Party ( KESK ) renamed itself.

After renaming the country in federal KESK he was in 1965 elected chairman of the Centre Party. This office he held until 1980 and was next to the then President Urho Kekkonen 's second most powerful man in the KESK.

From 1966 to 1968 and from 1979 to 1983 he was also President of the Reichstag. From 1982 to 1983 he was president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Minister and Prime Minister from 1964 to 1966

Virolainen belonged 1950-1979 several governments as a minister in various ministries at. With 6169 days in office as Prime Minister and he had the longest tenure of all Finnish Minister.

From 1950 to 1951 he was Vice- Minister of the Interior. Later he was a minister in the State (1951 and 1956-1957 ). In addition, he was Minister of Education (1953, 1954 and 1956-1957 ). He was Foreign Minister from October 1954 to March 1956 from May to November 1957 and from August to December 1958. In addition, he was from 1961 to 1962 and from 1962 to 1963 Minister of Agriculture. He was further in 1957, 1958 and 1962 to 1963 Deputy Prime Minister.

On September 12, 1964, he was himself Prime Minister of a coalition government from KESK, the Swedish People's Party ( SFP - RKP ), Liberal People's Party and the National Coalition Party ( Kokoomus ). In 1965 he was also elected Chairman of the KESK. After the shift to the left in the parliamentary elections of March 1966 Virolainen occurred on May 27, 1966 back as Prime Minister and was replaced by Rafael Paasio of the Social Democratic Party.

Virolainen was 1968-1970 again Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education. He was Finance Minister from 1972 to 1975, from 1976 to 1979 Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and finally from 1977 to 1979 in addition turn Deputy Prime Minister.

Last ran unsuccessfully against Virolainen 1982 Mauno Koivisto for the office of President.

Biographical sources and background information

  • Biography land.net finn - on
  • Biographical data in rulers.org
  • Making the Best of Deference, articles in TIME Magazine, November 30, 1981
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