Paavo Väyrynen's impressive record as minister: 5775 days, 35 years
Almost to the date 35 years ago, on 30 November 1975, Paavo Väyrynen, the current Minister for Foreign Trade and Development started his new job as a member of the Council of State, Minister of Education. Since then, his ministerial days have amounted to 5775.
Even before becoming a minister, Väyrynen had worked in Ahti Karjalainen's Government as secretary for the Prime Minister. He held the post for 471 days.
Väyrynen has held many Minister's portfolios: Minister of Education, Minister of Labour, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development.
Johannes Virolainen still holds the first place in statistics of days in office with 6169 days.
Paavo Väyrynen has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs in four different Governments between 1977 and 1993. He has lead the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for 3936 days. The second and the third in the statistics of Foreign Ministers are Ahti Karjalainen with 3380 and Erkki Tuomioja with 2611 ministerial days.
The fourth on the list with 2497 days is Carl Enckell, who was Foreign Minister for Finland in 1918-1919. He also led the Foreign Ministry twice in the 1920's and again in 1944-1950. Therefore, Enckell served as Minister for Foreign Affairs in four different decades.
The top duo, Ahti Karjalainen and Paavo Väyrynen have also been appointed to other tasks in the Foreign Ministry.
In his current post as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Väyrynen has served for 1300 days. He has worked in the Foreign Ministry in five different decades.
In a media conference Väyrynen mentioned the landslide victory in the 1991 election and his re-assignment as minister the highlight of his career.