The Centre Party (in Finnish: Suomen Keskusta, Kesk.) is a centrist political party in Finland. It is one of the three largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democrats (SDP) and the Coalition Party. Currently the Centre Party has the most seats, 51 out of 200, in the Finnish Parliament (2007). In the Finnish political context, it is sometimes considered as a right-wing party. Its political influence is the largest in small municipalities, where it often holds nearly all seats in the municipal councils. Decentralization is the policy that is characteristic to the Centre Party. In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... // Political scientists have developed concepts of different ideal types of political parties in order to better compare them with each other. ... The Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) is one of the most influential political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the Coalition Party. ... The National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus or Samlingspartiet) is a political party in Finland. ... The Eduskunta in Finnish, or the Riksdag in Swedish, is the parliament of Finland. ...

The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and subscribed to the liberal manifestos of these organisations. Its members in the European Parliament are member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. Liberal International is a political international for international liberal parties. ... The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (founded in 1993) is a liberal party, mainly active in the European Union, composed of 49 national liberal and centrist parties from across Europe. ... The European Parliament (formerly European Parliamentary Assembly) is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... ALDE logo The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (French: Alliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour lEurope) is a Group in the European Parliament. ...

Despite belonging to the Liberal International, the Centre Party does not have the same role as a Liberal Party in other countries in the Finnish political spectrum, because it has been developed from an Agrarian Party. In Finland, there is no large party that supports liberalism per se. Instead, liberalism is found in all parties, also in the Centre Party, which supports decentralization, free will, free and fair trade as well as small entreprises.

The party was founded in 1906 as a movement of citizens in Finnish countryside. Before its independence, political power in Finland was centralized in the capital and to the estates of the realm. The centralization gave space for a new political movement. In 1906 were founded two agrarian movements which 1908 merged into one political party Agrarian League or Maalaisliitto. 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... In several different regions of medieval Europe, and continuing in some countries[] down to the present day, the estates of the realm were broad divisions of society, usually distinguishing nobility, clergy, and commoners; this last group was, in some regions, further divided into burghers (also known as bourgeoisie) and peasants. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Agrarian has two meanings: It can mean pertaining to Agriculture It can also refer to the ideology of Agrarianism and Agrarian parties. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

From the very beginning of its presence the party has supported the idea of decentralization. In the morning of Finnish independency the party supported republicanism instead of monarchy backed by the conservative forces. // Le de décentralisation de de est le processus de la dispersion prise de décision plus près du point de service ou action. ... Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, with an emphasis on liberty, rule by the people, and the civic virtue practiced by citizens. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A monarchy, from the Greek μονος, one, and αρχειν, to rule, is a form of government that has a monarch as head of state. ... Conservatism is a political philosophy that usually favors traditional values and strong foreign defense. ...

Soon the ideas of humanity, education, the spirit of the land, peasant-like freedom, decentralization, "the issue of poor people", progressiveness and later the "green wave" became the main political phrases describing the ideology of the party. Santeri Alkio was the most important ideological father of the party. In the 1930s centre forces led the fight against the threatening right wing movement. // Le de décentralisation de de est le processus de la dispersion prise de décision plus près du point de service ou action. ... Santeri Alkio (Finnicized form of Aleksander Filander; b. ...

In 1965 the party changed its name to Centre Party or Keskustapuolue and in 1988 it took its current name Suomen Keskusta. Today the importance of humanity and tolerance, social safety and freedom of choice, regional equality, entrepreneurship , ecologically sustainable initiatives, and a decentralised, democratic decision-making process are important values for the Centre Party.

One of the big differencies between the Finnish Centre and other parties has been its large number of members; hundreds of thousands of Finnish people are members of the party. In recent years, the party has gained many immigrant members as well.^{[citation needed]}

During Finland's independence the Centre Party has been the party most often represented in the government. The country's longest-serving president, Urho Kekkonen, was from the party. Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (September 3, 1900–August 31, 1986) was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland (1950-1953, 1954-1956) and later as President of Finland (1956–1981) and is many times referred as first dictator of Finland. ...

Today, only a small portion (about 5%) of the votes given to the party come from farmers and the Centre Party draws support from a wide range of professions. However, even today rural Finland and small towns form the strongest base of support for the party, although it has worked toward making a breakthrough in the major southern cities as well. The current Prime Minister of Finland is Matti Vanhanen, who succeeded Anneli Jäätteenmäki. The Prime Minister (Finnish Pääministeri, Swedish: Statsminister) is the head of government in Finland. ... Matti Taneli Vanhanen ( ) (born November 4, 1955, in Jyväskylä) is the current Prime Minister of Finland, as well as Chairman of the Centre Party. ... Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Prime Minister 2003, MEP 2004- Anneli Tuulikki Jäätteenmäki (Master of Laws, born February 11, 1955 in Lapua) was the first female Prime Minister of Finland, in office April 17th, 2003, to June 18th, 2003. ...

Prominent party leaders

• Lauri Kristian Relander, President 1925-1931
• Kyösti Kallio, Prime Minister four times 1922-1937, President 1937-1940
• Urho Kekkonen, Prime Minister twice 1950-1956, President 1956-1981
• Martti Miettunen, Prime Minister twice 1961-1977
• Ahti Karjalainen, Prime Minister

Lauri Kristian Relander (May 31, 1883 – February 9, 1942) was the President of Finland from 1925 to 1931. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... Statue of K. Kallio in Helsinki Kyösti Kallio (April 10, 1873 – December 19, 1940) was the fourth President of Finland (1937-1940), having already served no fewer than four times as the countrys Prime Minister. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (September 3, 1900–August 31, 1986) was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland (1950-1953, 1954-1956) and later as President of Finland (1956–1981) and is many times referred as first dictator of Finland. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Martti Miettunen (1908–January 19, 2002) was a politician in Finland. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Ahti Kalle Samuli Karjalainen (born 10 February 1923 in Hirvensalmi, died 7 September 1990 in Helsinki) was a Finnish politician. ...

List of party Chairmen

• Otto Karhi 1906-1909
• Kyösti Kallio 1909-1917
• Filip Saalasti 1918
• Santeri Alkio 1918
• Petter Vilhelm Heikkinen 1919-1940
• Viljami Kalliokoski 1941-1945
• Vieno Johannes Sukselainen 1946-1964
• Johannes Virolainen 1965-1980 - Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament
• Paavo Väyrynen 1980-1990 - Foreign Minister, Member of the European parliament
• Esko Aho 1990-2000, 2001-2002 - Prime Minister 1991-1995
• Anneli Jäätteenmäki 2000-2001, 2002-2003 - Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister 2003
• Matti Vanhanen 2003 - Prime Minister

Statue of K. Kallio in Helsinki Kyösti Kallio (April 10, 1873 – December 19, 1940) was the fourth President of Finland (1937-1940), having already served no fewer than four times as the countrys Prime Minister. ... Santeri Alkio (Finnicized form of Aleksander Filander; b. ... Johannes Virolainen (January 31, 1914 - December 11, 2000) was a Finnish politician. ... Paavo Väyrynen Paavo Väyrynen (born on 2 September 1946 in Kemi) is a Finnish politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Centre Party of Finland, Member of the Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and sits on the European Parliaments Committee... Esko Tapani Aho (born May 20, 1954) is a statesman and former Prime Minister of Finland. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Prime Minister 2003, MEP 2004- Anneli Tuulikki Jäätteenmäki (Master of Laws, born February 11, 1955 in Lapua) was the first female Prime Minister of Finland, in office April 17th, 2003, to June 18th, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Matti Taneli Vanhanen ( ) (born November 4, 1955, in Jyväskylä) is the current Prime Minister of Finland, as well as Chairman of the Centre Party. ...

See also

• Liberalism and centrism in Finland

This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberalism by country | Finnish political parties ...

External links

• Official website (Finnish)
• Official website in English (English)
• Youth organizations official website (Finnish)