Editing Tarja Halonen (section)

==Political views==
Early in her political career Halonen represented the far-left wing of the SDP. She publicly opposed the proposed free trade agreement of the [[European Economic Community]] in 1973, by signing a petition along with 500 other prominent social democrats and socialists. Otherwise she was loyal{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} to President [[Urho Kekkonen|Kekkonen]]'s foreign policy, which was founded on Finnish neutrality and good relations with the [[Soviet Union]]. Markku Salomaa's 2021 book ''Tarza – Pasifistin odysseia voimapolitiikan maailmassa'' states that [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] [[Angela Merkel]] had a very negative attitude towards Halonen, precisely because of her pro-Soviet and far-left wing world of ideas.<ref>[https://www.iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/ab707582-1066-40bb-b188-f0d4e822277a IL: Kirjapaljastus: Angela Merkel karsasti Tarja Halosta – ”Ei olisi halunnut edes kätellä”] (in Finnish)</ref> Since 2004, rumors have been circulating on Internet that Halonen gave a [[Vappu|May Day]] speech at [[Hakaniemi Market Square]] in 1976 and hoped that Finland would join the Soviet Union, saying: "Finland would be blessed to join the Soviet Union by peaceful means. At the same time, we would get rid of the yoke of [[capitalism]], because capitalism will die in 20 years. Finland, together with the Soviet Union, could be a pioneer towards a [[communist]] society."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/digitoday/art-2000001455235.html|title=Haloshuhu leviää tekstiviestinä ja nettikeskusteluissa|first=Jaakko|last=Kuivalainen|work=[[Ilta-Sanomat]]|date=January 17, 2006|access-date=April 1, 2022|language=fi}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Finnish News Agency|STT]]'', Halonen herself has completely rejected the gossip, saying: "I have not given any May Day speech in Hakaniemi in 1976, nor can the text be found in the Informant. And if a Social Democrat [[Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions|SAK]] lawyer had given such a May Day speech in the 1970s, the employment relationship would have been rather short."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ts.fi/uutiset/1074094995|title=Halonen torjuu väitteet 1970-luvun vappupuheestaan|work=[[Turun Sanomat]]|date=January 17, 2006|access-date=April 1, 2022|language=fi}}</ref>

Throughout her political career, Halonen has described herself as a supporter of "international solidarity".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halonen |url=https://suomenpresidentit.fi/en/halonen/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Suomen presidentit |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="martpork">{{Cite web |last=martpork |date=2022-09-26 |title=Finland Turned to NATO Membership with Lightning Speed |url=https://icds.ee/en/finland-turned-to-nato-membership-with-lightning-speed/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=ICDS |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title=Gunel Isakova: the years under 30 are a time to invest in yourself - EU NEIGHBOURS east |url=https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/stories/gunel-isakova-the-years-under-30-are-a-time-to-invest-in-yourself/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=euneighbourseast.eu |language=en-GB}}</ref> She describes herself as a "relative pacifist", meaning that she does not support unilateral disarmament. She has strongly defended the President's role as the commander in chief of the military.<ref>Anna Perho (2005): [http://www.city.fi/artikkeli/Tarja+Halonen/1758/ ''Tarja Halonen – ensimmäinen nainen''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018233918/http://www.city.fi/artikkeli/Tarja+Halonen/1758/ |date=18 October 2009 }} City-lehti 24/2005</ref> She opposed [[NATO]] membership during her tenure. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Finnish public opinion had turned, and the Parliament had debated the issue and decided, in favor of submitting an application for [[Finland–NATO relations|NATO membership]], Halonen also voiced her support on Twitter, calling the move "a necessary measure in the changed security situation in Europe".<ref name="martpork"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-17 |title=Tarja Halonen on Twitter: "Valtiojohdon eli presidentin ja hallituksen sekä eduskunnan työ yhdessä kansalaismielipiteen kanssa luo turvallisen pohjan hakea Nato-jäsenyyttä. Se on tarpeellinen toimenpide Euroopan muuttuneessa turvallisuustilanteessa." / Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/TarjaHalonen/status/1526547578967425025 |access-date=2022-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517142338/https://twitter.com/TarjaHalonen/status/1526547578967425025 |archive-date=17 May 2022 }}</ref> Her strong stands on these issues have characterised her presidential term and shaped Finnish foreign policy, in part in cooperation with the like-minded former Minister of Foreign Affairs, [[Erkki Tuomioja]].

Halonen has publicly supported the involvement of the [[Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions]] (SAK) in politics.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://wap.mobioutlet.com/uutiset/arkisto.shtml/arkistot/kotimaa/2006/01/421811 |access-date=2023-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203003712/http://wap.mobioutlet.com/uutiset/arkisto.shtml/arkistot/kotimaa/2006/01/421811 |title=Archived |archive-date=3 February 2016}}</ref>

The Constitution of Finland and Halonen's decision to take part in some European Union meetings with the prime minister has created the so-called "problem of two dinner plates" in Finland. Since most other countries only have their prime ministers representing them, it was also decided in Finland that the task is reserved for the Prime Minister in most cases.<ref name="oneortwo">{{cite web |url=https://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/tforsber/constitutionforeignpolicy.pdf |title=One foreign policy or two? |last=Forsberg |first=Tuomas |date=2001 |access-date=September 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>[http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/politics/6468-finlands-halonen-plays-down-dark-clouds-over-two-plate-policy.html Finland's Halonen plays down dark clouds over two-plate policy]. Helsinki Times</ref>

On 20 March 2013, Halonen publicly voiced her support for [[Registered partnership in Finland|same-sex marriage]].<ref name="gaymarriage-support-2013">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kotimaa.shtml/halonen-vetosi-tasa-arvoisen-avioliittolain-puolesta/2013/03/1724801|title=Halonen vetosi tasa-arvoisen avioliittolain puolesta|publisher=MTV3|agency=Suomen Tietotoimisto|date=20 March 2013|access-date=26 March 2013|language=fi}}</ref>