"His rise from humble home into a teacher, a banker and eventually to the top of the nation's politics is an unparalleled Finnish success story." "Koivisto was a devoted democrat and a supporter of parliamentarism. "With Mauno Koivisto, the generation that took part in wars and following rebuilding, and which guided Finland to the path of current success and wellbeing, has now definitively left Finland's political life," current president Sauli Niinisto said in a statement. He served the country as prime minister, finance minister and central bank governor before becoming president. In his youth, Koivisto fought the Soviet Union during World War Two.
During his term, Koivisto also strengthened the role of the parliament after his predecessor, Urho Kekkonen, had ruled the country for 26 years, partly in an autocratic style. He led his country through the collapse of the neighboring Soviet Union and the ensuing recession at home, and oversaw Finland's application for membership of the European Union in 1992. He became the Nordic country's ninth president in 1982 and spent two terms in the office until 1994. Koivisto was born in 1923, the son of a ship's carpenter. By Jussi Rosendahl HELSINKI (Reuters) - Mauno Koivisto, Finland's first leftist president who led it along the path to EU membership, died on Friday at the age of 93, the president's office said.
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