The former President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was both a lawyer and a politician during his career. That combination is not particularly rare, but what is unusual is a former head of state openly sharing memories from his student days.
Niinistö was likely inspired by the upcoming May Day Eve, which in Finland is a celebration not only for workers but also for students. That was already the case during his own time as a law student, when the festivities would begin well in advance.
One year, however, the student celebrations in Turku took a turn when a law students’ organization was caught selling alcohol illegally. Niinistö didn’t elaborate on the consequences but did offer a cryptic comment: the festivities didn’t end there—“lawyers always find a loophole.”
As a student, Niinistö lived mostly on study loans but worked whenever he could. He was willing to take on any job, so the future MP, minister, and president gained some early experience in the political trenches—by, for example, repairing sewers.
Looking back, he described the most valuable lesson of those years as learning, little by little, to recognize different kinds of people—and to understand that “in the end, we’re all carved from roughly the same wood.”
One of the president’s most poignant international memories was connected to the Prague Spring—the Czechoslovak uprising of 1968. Niinistö had a couple of Czech friends who, inspired by the movement, returned to their homeland that spring and disappeared. As he put it: “the guys went to Prague in the spring, and nothing was ever heard from them again, even though they were passionate fellows.”
That story reminds us of the cruelty inflicted by the Soviet-led socialist dictatorship within its sphere of influence. And it strengthens our resolve to ensure that Europe is never again divided into spheres of influence between the West and Russia.
With these presidential memories, I wish all readers of this blog a joyful May Day! Enjoy the spirit of spring—whether you are a worker, a student, or simply a fellow human being. And always stay on the right side!
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Finnish horror gallery and reality
What seemed to be impossible just two years ago is going to happen in very near future
Yes, we will stay on the right side and vote the right way!
ReplyDeleteWell Mr. Niinistö, you would look Mr. Putin into his eyes and saw his soul, and you would say:"We are carved from the same wood"?
ReplyDeleteIf I correctly recall, Niinistö quite clearly saw the true nature of Mr. Putin, and also stated it clearly in his cossack-comment few years ago.
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