Member of the Parliament of Finland
What position did Paavo Lipponen take from Mar 1983 to Mar 1987?
Paavo Lipponen Paavo Tapio Lipponen ( ) ( born 23 April 1941 ) is a Finnish politician and former reporter . He was Prime Minister of Finland from 1995 to 2003 , and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 1993 to 2005 . He also served as Speaker of the Parliament of Finland from 2003 to 2007 and was his partys nominee in the 2012 Finnish presidential election but received only 6.7% of the votes , making it the biggest defeat the Social Democratic Party had ever received in Finnish Presidential elections at the time . Lipponen is currently the oldest living former Prime Minister of Finland . Career . Lipponen was born in Turtola ( subsequently renamed Pello ) , son of Orvo Lipponen and his wife Hilkka Iisalo . Paavos maternal grandparents were Jaakko Antero Ingman/Iisalo ( a distant relative of Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila and Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim ) and his wife Siiri Törnroos . Paavo Lipponen spent his childhood and youth in Kuopio . Receiving his gymnasium diploma from the Lyceum of Kuopio in 1959 , he then studied philosophy and literature at Dartmouth College for one year on a Fulbright scholarship . Soon after returning to Finland he moved to Helsinki where he eventually attained a masters degree in international relations from the University of Helsinki in 1971 . He was the editor of the influential student newspaper Ylioppilaslehti 1963–1965 and a freelance reporter for the Finnish Broadcasting Company ( YLE ) 1965–1967 . Lipponen made various controversial statements that angered groups such as Estonian refugees . According to Alpo Rusis book Vasemmalta ohi , Lipponen began cooperation with the East German secret police Stasi in 1969 . The book suggests that Lipponen is the code name Mungo XV/326/71 in the Rosenholz files . In a 2008 interview Lipponen said that he had been a target of East German manipulation . It is rumored that Lipponen is on the so-called Tiitinen list . Alpo Rusi has also suggested that Lipponen had an alias , code , and operation in the KGB . He held various posts in the Social Democratic Party organisation from 1967 to 1979 . Lipponens opinions were changed . In a speech in 1978 Lipponen asserted that he had lost his belief in socialism . Lipponen first came into the political limelight when he was secretary to Prime Minister Mauno Koivisto from 1979 to 1982 . Frequently having to substitute for the busy Prime Minister , Lipponen was soon dubbed vara-Manu ( deputy Manu — Manu being short for Mauno ) . Lipponen was a Member of the Parliament of Finland from 1983 to 1987 and also from 1991 until he retired in 2007 . In 1993 SDP chairman Ulf Sundqvist was suspected and later convicted of a large financial fraud . Lipponen was elected the new chairman in 1993 , and he led the party to victory in the parliamentary election of 1995 . Lipponen formed a cabinet of five parties including both rightist and leftist parties . Lipponens economic policies were , however , dominated by the right-wing . The main task of the cabinet was to decrease the number of unemployed . Tight fiscal policies allowed the participation of Finland in the European Monetary Union , which resulted in the introduction of the Euro in 1999 . Foreign trade increased above the European average 1995–1999 . Laws for a new constitution were passed and it took effect on 1 March 2000 . Lipponen headed the SDP campaign in 1999 which resulted in losses , but the SDP remained the largest party in the parliament . The coalition formed in 1995 was renewed . During the second Lipponen cabinet , he headed Finlands six months in the EU presidency and pursued pro-integration and pro-expansion policies . Lipponen introduced the concept of a European constitution during a speech in Bruges in 2000 . He headed the SDP campaign of 2003 , which led to victory for the SDP ; however , the Center Party gained more seats , which marked the end for the succession of the cabinets of the SDP and the National Coalition Party . The chairman of the Center Party , Anneli Jäätteenmäki , formed a new cabinet , and Lipponen took the position of Speaker of Parliament . Lipponen retired from the party chairmanship in 2005 and was succeeded by Eero Heinäluoma . Lipponen left the parliament in 2007 . On 15 August 2008 , during the 2008 South Ossetia war , Nord Stream , a Russian gas project , announced that it had signed a consulting contract with Lipponen . According to Nord Stream , he advises on the Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA ) and permit applications in Finland . He provides independent consultations according to his expertise in Finnish administrative and decision-making procedures within the energy sector . As a result of the scandal that followed , Lipponen relinquished his office in the parliament building and resigned from all of his duties in Finland except veteran activities . In an article published in October 2008 , Lipponen discussed the Russian response in Georgia and warned Europe of its dependence on Russian gas . Lipponen criticised the way many Finnish and German politicians were opposed to nuclear power and stated that their fundamentalism destroys both energy security and climate policy . Poland reportedly blocked Lipponens candidacy as EU foreign policy chief because of Lipponens ties to Nord Stream . Lipponen was his partys nominee in the 2012 Finnish presidential election . He was knocked out in the first round , receiving 6.7% of the vote . Lipponen has declined the honour of being named a Counselor of State , the highest honour in Finland , saying that no-one outside of Finland knows what a Valtioneuvos is and that he is satisfied with being former Prime Minister . Personal life . Lipponen played water polo in his youth at the highest national level . He lives currently with his second wife , Päivi Lipponen ( formerly Hertzberg , maiden name Hiltunen ) , and has three children . Popular culture . Lipponen appears as an animated character in the political satire TV series The Autocrats . Cabinets . - Lipponen I Cabinet ( 1995-1999 ) - Lipponen II Cabinet ( 1999-2003 )