His second term from 1988 to 1994 was crucial in cementing the Nordic nation’s neutral status until the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 - a great concern for Finland, which shares an 800-mile border with Russia.Ī fluent Russian-speaker, Mr. Koivisto was seen as ushering in a new, freer era, changing the face of the country by reducing the powers of the head of state and strengthening the role of parliament.Ībove all, he was recognized for his foreign policy skills with a fine balancing act of maintaining the small country’s good relations with the West - particularly with the United States - and the Soviet Union during the Cold War years. His down-to-earth manner and dry humor, often laced with sarcasm and philosophical pondering, won him the heart of the nation but also brought political opponents.įor most Finns, his presidency marked the end of the long reign of predecessor Urho Kekkonen, who had ruled Finland with an iron grip for 25 years until his resignation in 1981. Koivisto served two six-year terms between 19, enjoying great popularity among ordinary Finns. His wife, Tellervo Koivisto, said earlier this year that he suffered severely from Alzheimer’s disease. The Finnish president’s office announced the death. Mauno Koivisto, Finland’s last president during the Cold War, who led the Nordic nation out of the shadow of its huge eastern neighbor, the Soviet Union, and into the European Union, died May 12 at a Helsinki hospital.
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