Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Uskela, Grand Duchy of Finland, Finland
About Rafael Paasio
- Kustaa Rafael Paasio (6 June 1903 – 17 March 1980) was a prominent Finnish politician and editor from Social Democratic Party.
- He served as Prime Minister of Finland twice.Paasio was born in Uskela and was in contact with the Social Democratic Labor movement at an early age.
- Paasio was elected to the parliament in 1948.
- Before that he participated in Turku municipal politics and was since 1942 the chief of newspaper Turun Päivälehti.
- Paasio was the chairman of SDP from 1963 to 1975, and served as the prime minister twice, 1966-1968 and 1972, and was also twice the Speaker of the Parliament.
- Both his son, Pertti Paasio, and his granddaughter, Heli Paasio, have been members of the parliament. Social Democrats remember Rafael Paasio, above all, as party unifier and strengthener.
- 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 SDP-led governments.
- His first cabinet began building the modern Finnish welfare state, and the second government laid the foundation for Finland's EEC 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.
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