List of Presidents of Finland

List of Presidents of Finland

# Image Name Born-died Took Office Left Office Party Notes
1. Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg 1865-1952 July 27, 1919 March 1, 1925 National Progressive Party (ED) Chairman of the Parliament in 1914-1917, elected President by the Parliament in 1919
2. Lauri Kristian Relander 1883-1942 March 1, 1925 March 1, 1931 Agrarian League (ML) (later re-named Centre Party (KESK)) Chairman of the Parliament in 1919-1920, elected President by Electoral college in 1925
3. Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861-1944 March 1, 1931 March 1, 1937 National Coalition Party (KOK) Chairman of the Parliament in 1907-1912, Regent (Interim Head of State) of Finland in 1918; Prime Minister in 1917-1918 and 1930-1931, elected President by Electoral college in 1931
4. Kyösti Kallio 1873-1940 March 1, 1937 19 December 1940 Agrarian League (ML) Chairman of the Parliament in 1920-1921, 1922, 1924-1925, 1929 and 1930-1936, Prime Minister in 1922-1924, 1925-1926, 1929-1930 and 1936-1937, elected President by Electoral college in 1937, resigned in 1940 because of poor health.
5. Risto Ryti 1889-1956 19 December 1940 (acting for Kallio from November 27, 1940) August 4, 1944 National Progressive Party (ED) Prime Minister in 1939-1940 and during his Presidential term in 1940-1941; elected President by Electoral college in 1940; re-elected in 1943; resigned in 1944
6. Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim 1867-1951 August 4, 1944 March 8, 1946 Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces / Non-Party Regent (Interim Head of State) of Finland in 1918-1919; elected President in 1944 by the Parliament; resigned in 1946
7. Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870-1956 March 8, 1946 March 1, 1956 National Coalition Party (KOK) Prime Minister in 1918 and 1944-1946; elected President by the Parliament in 1946 and re-elected by Electoral college in 1950
8. Urho Kekkonen 1900-1986 March 1, 1956 January 27, 1982 Agrarian League (ML) /Centre Party (KESK) Chairman of the Parliament in 1948-1950, Prime Minister in 1950-1953 and 1954-1956, elected President by Electoral college in 1956 and re-elected in 1962, 1968 and in 1978; resigned in 1981 owing to poor health, whereupon Prime Minister Mauno Koivisto became acting President.
9. Mauno Koivisto 1923- January 27, 1982 (acting for Kekkonen from September 11, 1981) March 1, 1994 Social Democratic Party (SDP) Prime Minister in 1968-1970 and in 1979-1982; elected President by Electoral college in 1982 and re-elected in 1988.
10. Martti Ahtisaari 1937- March 1, 1994 March 1, 2000 Social Democratic Party (SDP) Elected directly as President in 1994
11. Tarja Halonen 1943- March 1, 2000 Present Social Democratic Party (SDP) Elected as the first female President of Finland in 2000; re-elected in 2006