Editing Juho Kusti Paasikivi (section)

===1950 presidential election===
[[File:Paasikivi ja Voroshilov.jpg|thumb|J.K. Paasikivi and chairman of the Supreme Soviet [[Kliment Voroshilov]] in Moscow]]
[[File:Urho Kekkonen and Juho Kusti Paasikivi in Kultaranta, 1955.jpg|thumb|[[Urho Kekkonen]] and J. K. Paasikivi in Kultaranta, 1955]]
Paasikivi stood for re-election in the presidential election of 1950, and he won 171 out of the 300 electoral college votes. The priorities of his second term were centred largely on domestic politics, in contrast to his first term. [[Joseph Stalin]]'s death made Paasikivi's job easier.

As a lover of sports, and a former athlete and gymnast, Paasikivi had the great pleasure, during his second term of office, of opening the [[1952 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Helsinki]]. On the eve of the Summer Olympics, it was only appropriate for the cultured statesman to hold a speech in a world language, English. However, English was not Paasikivi’s strong language, as [[French language|French]] had long been the predominant language of diplomacy. Still, Paasikivi wanted to extend his greetings to foreign guests arriving in Helsinki. The President's speech was as follows:{{blockquote|It gives me great pleasure to address a message of greeting to the young people of the world as they prepare for the fifteenth Olympic Games which are, once again, to be celebrated in a spirit worthy of the ideals of [[Baron de Coubertin]].

This happy cooperation between young people of all countries will serve the great call of concord and peace among the nations of the world.

I am particularly pleased to be sending you this advance greeting because, as a young man, I was myself an enthusiastic gymnast and athlete. And I have retained throughout my life a deep interest in athletics and sports of all kinds.

I am convinced that the Finnish people, loving sport as they do, will spare no effort to make the 1952 Olympic Games a complete success.<ref>[https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2018/07/02/finnish-president-paasikivi-sends-his-olympic-greetings-in-english Finnish president Paasikivi sends his Olympic greetings in English]</ref>}}

By the end of Paasikivi's six-year second term, Finland had rid itself of the most urgent political problems resulting from the war. The [[Karelia]]n refugees had been resettled, the [[war reparations]] had been paid, [[rationing]] had ended, and in January 1956 the Soviet Union removed its troops from the [[Porkkala Naval Base|Porkkala naval base]] near Helsinki.<ref name="Zetterberg" />