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Kalevi Sorsa
Taisto Kalevi Sorsa (21 December 1930 – 16 January 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 Finnish prime minister. He was also a long-time leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland.
Taisto Kalevi Sorsa was born on 21 December 1930 in Keuruu. Sorsa's surname literally means in Finnish: mallard.
Sorsa attended school in Jyväskylä and Lappeenranta. At the age of 18, Sorsa's involvement with the SDP started in Lappeenranta. 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 to 1969. In the late 1960s, he also served as an official in the Ministry of Education.
In 1969, he was brought in from relative obscurity by Rafael Paasio, a former Prime Minister of Finland, to assume the influential post of party secretary, despite not having much experience of national politics.
A 2008 book by historian Jukka Seppinen claimed that Sorsa was at this date already receiving support from Soviet backers in the KGB. However, other historians have disputed this, and while there was a list in a pro-Soviet newspaper of the candidates who should not be chosen as the party secretary, such as the right-wing social democrat Pekka J. Korvenheimo, there is no proof that the Soviets would have at this point particularly supported Sorsa.
Sorsa was a leading political figure during the presidencies of Kekkonen and Koivisto. He served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1975 to 1987 and was Prime Minister of Finland in four centre-left coalitions 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. From 1987 to 1996, Sorsa served on the governing board of the Bank of Finland. He was also known for his participation as the convener in the economic policy seminar at Hotel Korpilampi in Lahnus, Espoo, in September 1977.
Sorsa is regarded as one of Finland's most influential prime ministers, making major contributions to schools and health care, and increasing social security for families with children and pensioners. His governments strengthened the welfare state in Finland, by enacting many reforms—child care laws, longer maternity leave, the annual vacation benefit act, as well as the public health act.
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Kalevi Sorsa
Taisto Kalevi Sorsa (21 December 1930 – 16 January 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 Finnish prime minister. He was also a long-time leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland.
Taisto Kalevi Sorsa was born on 21 December 1930 in Keuruu. Sorsa's surname literally means in Finnish: mallard.
Sorsa attended school in Jyväskylä and Lappeenranta. At the age of 18, Sorsa's involvement with the SDP started in Lappeenranta. 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 to 1969. In the late 1960s, he also served as an official in the Ministry of Education.
In 1969, he was brought in from relative obscurity by Rafael Paasio, a former Prime Minister of Finland, to assume the influential post of party secretary, despite not having much experience of national politics.
A 2008 book by historian Jukka Seppinen claimed that Sorsa was at this date already receiving support from Soviet backers in the KGB. However, other historians have disputed this, and while there was a list in a pro-Soviet newspaper of the candidates who should not be chosen as the party secretary, such as the right-wing social democrat Pekka J. Korvenheimo, there is no proof that the Soviets would have at this point particularly supported Sorsa.
Sorsa was a leading political figure during the presidencies of Kekkonen and Koivisto. He served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1975 to 1987 and was Prime Minister of Finland in four centre-left coalitions 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. From 1987 to 1996, Sorsa served on the governing board of the Bank of Finland. He was also known for his participation as the convener in the economic policy seminar at Hotel Korpilampi in Lahnus, Espoo, in September 1977.
Sorsa is regarded as one of Finland's most influential prime ministers, making major contributions to schools and health care, and increasing social security for families with children and pensioners. His governments strengthened the welfare state in Finland, by enacting many reforms—child care laws, longer maternity leave, the annual vacation benefit act, as well as the public health act.
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