Background
Paasio was born in Uskela and was in contact with the Social Democratic Labor movement at an early age.
Paasio was born in Uskela and was in contact with the Social Democratic Labor movement at an early age.
He served as Prime Minister of Finland twice. Paasio was elected to the parliament in 1948. Paasio was the chairman of Social Democratic Party from 1963 to 1975, and served as the prime minister twice, 1966-1968 and 1972, and was also twice the Speaker of the Parliament.
In addition, the party reached decent relations with Soviet Union during his term.
Paasio positioned himself in the middle of left-wingers and right-wingers in the party. His support to Kekkonen allowed a new coming for Social Democratic Party-led governments.
His first cabinet began building the modern Finnish welfare state, and the second government laid the foundation for Finland"s European Economic Community agreement. Therefore his actions had a revolutionary impact on Finnish history.
Paasio was the Social Democrat candidate in the 1962 presidential elections.
He died in Turku, aged 76.
Before that he participated in Turku municipal politics and was since 1942 the chief of newspaper Turun Päivälehti. Social Democrats remember Rafael Paasio, above all, as party unifier and strengthener.