As president, Koivisto kept a low profile and used less authoritarian leadership tactics than Kekkonen had employed, refraining from using some of his presidential powers and initiating a new era of parliamentarianism in Finland. On the other hand, he had an occasionally difficult relationship with
journalists, which he famously called "
lemmings". One practical problem that quite a few reporters had with Koivisto's statements was their deeply pondering and philosophical nature. Mauno Koivisto's presidency (1982–1994) marked a deliberate shift from the strong presidential dominance of his predecessor, Urho Kekkonen, towards a more parliament-centered governance. He consciously limited the exercise of presidential powers, fostering an environment where the Prime Minister and Parliament assumed greater responsibility in decision-making processes. Koivisto also supported constitutional reforms aimed at reducing presidential authority, thereby strengthening Finland's parliamentary system. This transition contributed to a more balanced distribution of power within the Finnish government, aligning with his commitment to democratic principles. Those statements were not often easy to interpret, unlike Kekkonen's blunt and sometimes harsh statements. As the leader of
Finland's foreign policies he initially continued Kekkonen's line until the collapse of the Soviet Union. He also continued the established practice of returning Soviet defectors to the Soviet Union, a custom now prohibited as a human rights violation by the
Finnish constitution. Koivisto created close contacts with
Mikhail Gorbachev,
George H. W. Bush, and
Ronald Reagan. He carried on private correspondence with Gorbachev and Bush. His ties to the other
Nordic countries and Nordic colleagues were very close and trustworthy. He spoke fluent Russian, Swedish, English, and German. In the critical moments during which the Soviet Union was collapsing, and the Baltic countries, particularly Estonia, were declaring themselves independent, Koivisto referred to the policy of neutrality and avoided publicly supporting the Baltic independence movement, but its members were allowed to work from Finland. Koivisto's Finland recognized the new Estonian government only after the major powers had done so. Koivisto did however covertly send money to Estonia to assist their independence movement. Koivisto made two bold unilateral diplomatic moves that significantly changed the Finnish political position. In 1990, after the
reunification of Germany, Koivisto unilaterally renounced the terms of the
Paris Peace Treaties which limited the strength and armament of the
Finnish Defence Forces. The rationale was that after Germany had been given its full rights as a sovereign state, Finland could not remain bound by the antiquated treaty. The renunciation caused no official protest from Soviet Union or Great Britain. The other major move was the renunciation of the
Finno-Soviet Treaty () in 1991, concurrently with the fall of Soviet Union. The treaty, the military article of which had shaped Finnish foreign policy for decades, was substituted with a new treaty without military obligations in the next year. ,
Helsinki, in 1988 inspects a company of honor followed by, among others, the outgoing President Mauno Koivisto in 1994. In 1990, partly motivated by nationalism, partly by the fear of the declining work force, Koivisto proposed that any Soviet citizen with either Finnish or
Ingrian ancestry be enabled to immigrate to Finland as a returnee. The proposal resulted in a modification of immigration laws to this end during the year. After the
Soviet Union collapsed, Koivisto was against seeking the return of
formerly Finnish parts of Karelia to Finland. in Brussels, 29 October 1992 In the
1988 presidential election, Koivisto was re-elected with 189 out of 301 votes in the electoral college during the second round. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he supported more radical ideals like joining the
European Union. In 1992, Koivisto initiated the process of Finnish accession to the European community. The final terms of the membership agreement were finalised on the day of Koivisto's departure from the presidency. He was succeeded by President
Martti Ahtisaari, who was also a supporter of EU membership. Koivisto's popularity sharply declined during Finland's economic depression of the early 1990s, because many unemployed or otherwise impoverished citizens believed that he could have forced
the centre-right government of Esko Aho to stimulate the economy and grant unemployed people temporary public sector jobs. Koivisto's term ended in 1994. Henceforth he published his memoirs in four volumes and continued as a commentator on economics and both domestic and international politics. ==Post-presidency==