Kalevi Sorsa

Kalevi Sorsa
Prime Minister of Finland
In office February 19, 1982 – April 30, 1987
President	Mauno Koivisto
Deputy	Ahti Pekkala (1982–1983) Paavo Väyrynen (1983–1987)
Preceded by	Mauno Koivisto
Succeeded by	Harri Holkeri
In office May 15, 1977 – May 26, 1979
President	Urho Kekkonen
Deputy	Johannes Virolainen
Preceded by	Martti Miettunen
Succeeded by	Mauno Koivisto
In office September 4, 1972 – June 13, 1975
President	Urho Kekkonen
Deputy	Ahti Karjalainen
Preceded by	Rafael Paasio
Succeeded by	Keijo Liinamaa
Personal details
Born	December 21, 1930 Keuruu, Finland
Died	January 16, 2004 (aged 73) Helsinki, Finland
Political party	Social Democratic Party

Taisto Kalevi Sorsa (December 21, 1930 – January 16, 2004) was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland three times: 1972–1975, 1977–1979 and 1982-1987. At the time of his death he still held the record for most days of incumbency as prime minister.^[1] He was also a long-time leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland.

Kalevi Sorsa went to school in Jyväskylä and Lappeenranta. Sorsa's involvement with SDP politics started in Lappeenranta in 1948. In 1969, he was brought in from relative obscurity by Rafael Paasio to assume the influential post of party secretary, despite not having much previous experience of national politics.

Prior to his political career, Sorsa worked in Paris for UNESCO from 1959 to 1965, and served as Secretary-General of the Finnish UNESCO board from 1965–1969. In the late 1960s he also served as an official in the Ministry of Education.

Prime minister

Sorsa was a leading political figure during the presidencies of Kekkonen and Koivisto.^[2] He served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1975 to 1987 and was Prime Minister of Finland in four cabinets for a total of ten years (1972–1975, 1977–1979, 1982–1983, 1983–1987). He remains Finland's longest-serving prime minister. After his premiership he served as the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament from 1989 to 1991. During his career he also served twice as Deputy Prime Minister, from 1975 to 1976 and from 1987 to 1989.^[3]

Sorsa is regarded as one of the most influential prime ministers of Finland. His contributions were important for public services, such as schools and health care, and strengthened social security for families with children and pensioners. His governments made numerous important reforms in domestic policy, such as child care laws, the extension of maternity leave, the annual vacation benefit act, as well as the public health act. His governments are seen to have strengthened the Finnish welfare state.

Sorsa was also an active participant in the international social democratic movement. He supported the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, as well as projects to bridge the gap between the world's richest and poorest countries. Despite the opposition of far-left parties, Sorsa supported the European Economic Community (EEC) free trade agreement in the 1970s, which would have made the ties between Finland and the EEC countries closer. This agreement was eventually confirmed. Sorsa had a particularly difficult relationship with Paavo Väyrynen, an equally strongwilled opponent at the head of the Center Party. Another notable conflict was a rivalry with young rising politician Paavo Lipponen.

He met Soviet Premier Nikolai Tikhonov during his state visit to the Soviet Union in 1984.

Later years and death

After his retirement from Parliament, he served on the governing board of the Bank of Finland until 1996.^[2]

In 1993, Sorsa entered the Social Democratic Party's primary elections as a presidential candidate, but was defeated in a humiliating way by Martti Ahtisaari, then a relatively unknown civil servant. During Sorsa's political career, a small but significant group of politicians hostile to him had built up over time, which included Erkki Tuomioja, Lasse Lehtinen and Matti Ahde. These figures became influential forces behind Martti Ahtisaari's campaign.

Kalevi Sorsa died of cancer on January 16, 2004 at his home in Helsinki.^[2] He participated in discussion of social politics until the end of his life. His last column was published posthumously. He was survived by his wife; the couple had no children.^[2]

The Kalevi Sorsa Foundation is a social democratic think tank named in his honour.

References

1. "Ministerikortisto". Valtioneuvosto.
2. Matti Huuhtanen:Finns hold state funeral for longest serving, Cold War prime minister (paywall) Associated Press 31 January, 2004, via High Beam, retrieved 28 March, 2013
3. "Edustajamatrikkeli". Eduskunta.

See also

• Politics of Finland