In Moscow, Finland signed economic, scientific, and technological cooperation agreements with the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) of the Eastern European communist countries. The agreement was the first between COMECON and a country with a free-market economy.
The Helsinki Conference and Accords (See 1962–75): an attempt by 35 nations to achieve East-West cooperation; the accords set out basic, worldwide human rights standards.
Mauno Koivista, a Social Democrat, was appointed president by the Electoral College. He failed to win the necessary overall majority for reelection in Finland's first direct election for the presidency in January 1988, but the Electoral College reelected him in February for his second six-year term.
Reform of the constitution: proposals were presented to the Eduskunta (Finnish Diet) regarding the changes of presidential election procedures, the restriction of the presidency to a maximum of two successive terms in office, the strengthening of the Eduskunta's powers vis-à-vis the president in the formation of government, the exercise of the president's right of veto, and the dissolution of the Eduskunta. The proposals were ratified in mid-1987.
Harri Holkeri, of the conservative National Coalition Party, formed a four-party coalition and was the first conservative to become prime minister after World War II.
