Urho Kekkonen

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (pronounced [ˈurho ˈkekːonen] ( listen); 3 September 1900 – 31 August 1986), often referred to by his initials UKK, was the President of Finland between 1956 and 1982. He was also the Prime Minister of Finland before that.

Urho Kekkonen
Urho-Kekkonen-1977-c.jpg
Urho Kekkonen in 1977
8th President of Finland
In office
1 March 1956 – 27 January 1982
Preceded byJuho Kusti Paasikivi
Succeeded byMauno Koivisto
Prime Minister of Finland
In office
20 October 1954 – 3 March 1956
PresidentJuho Kusti Paasikivi
Preceded byRalf Törngren
Succeeded byKarl-August Fagerholm
In office
17 March 1950 – 17 November 1953
PresidentJuho Kusti Paasikivi
Preceded byKarl-August Fagerholm
Succeeded bySakari Tuomioja
Personal details
Born(1900-09-03)3 September 1900
Pielavesi, Finland, Russian Empire
Died31 August 1986(1986-08-31) (aged 85)
Helsinki, Finland
NationalityFinnish
Political partyAgrarian League 1933–1965: Centre Party 1965–1982
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse(s)Sylvi Salome Uino
ChildrenMatti, Taneli
ResidenceTamminiemi
Alma materUniversity of Helsinki
ProfessionLawyer, police officer, journalist
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Kekkonen was born in Pielavesi. He took part of the Finnish Civil War. He was anti-Communist and later anti-Fascist.


Kekkonen became the Interior Minister in 1937, and he then attempted to ban the fascist party known as the Patriotic People's Movement (commonly abbreviated to IKL).


In the year 1950, after the Second World War, Kekkonen became the Prime Minister of Finland.


The "Passikivi-Kekkonen line" was a foreign policy doctrine established by, Kekkonen and Juho Kusti Paasikivi, aimed at Finland's survival as an independent sovereign, democratic, and capitalist country in the immediate proximity of the Soviet Union.[1]


Kekkonen was elected the President of Finland in 1956, after president Paasikivi. He attempted to keep Finland a neutral country, which means it was not affiliated with any military alliance such as NATO or the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War.


Urho Kekkonen led the underwriting of the Helsinki Accords of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe between European countries, the United States and the Soviet Union in 1975.


Kekkonen became sick in 1981 and resigned from presidency.


He died in 1986, aged 86.

Urho Kekkonen Media

References