View source for Centre Party (Finland)

{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Short description|Agrarian political party in Finland}}
{{redirect|Keskusta|a main district in Tampere|Keskusta, Tampere|a main district in Jyväskylä|Keskusta, Jyväskylä}}
{{Infobox political party
| logo_size        = 125
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| chairperson      = [[Antti Kaikkonen]]
| secretary        = {{ill|Antti Siika-aho|fi}}
| name             = Centre Party
| native_name      = {{native name|fi|Suomen Keskusta|italics=no}}<br>{{native name|sv|Centern i Finland|italics=no}}
| logo             = Keskusta.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert
| leader1_title    = [[Parliamentary group leader]]
| leader1_name     = [[Antti Kurvinen]]
| foundation       = {{start date and age|1906}}
| merger           = [[Finnish Rural Population Federation|SML]]<br/>[[South Ostrobothnia Young Finnish Agrarian League|EPNM]]
| headquarters     = Apollonkatu 11A, 00100 [[Helsinki]]
| newspaper        = ''[[Suomenmaa]] ''
| think_tank       = [[Ajatuspaja Alkio]]
| student_wing     = [[Finnish Centre Students]]
| youth_wing       = [[Finnish Centre Youth]]
| womens_wing      = {{Nowrap|{{ill|Finnish Centre Women|fi|Suomen Keskustanaiset}}}}
| membership_year  = 2021
| membership       = {{decrease}} c. 77,000<ref>{{cite news|title=Tällaisia ovat suurimpien puolueiden jäsenet: MTV Uutiset selvitti iät ja sukupuolijakauman – keskustalla, SDP:llä ja vihreillä selvät erityispiirteensä|url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/tallaisia-ovat-suurimpien-puolueiden-jasenet-mtv-uutiset-selvitti-iat-ja-sukupuolen-keskustalla-sdp-lla-ja-vihreilla-selvat-erityispiirteensa/8199760|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref>
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap| <!-- Sources are listed in the introduction, sources are not needed here.-->
| [[Agrarianism]] ([[Nordic agrarian parties|Nordic]])
| [[Liberalism]]
}}
| position         = [[Centrism|Centre]]
| affiliation1_title = Nordic affiliation
| affiliation1     = [[Centre Group]]
| european         = [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]]
| international    = [[Liberal International]]<br>'''Historical:'''<br>[[International Agrarian Bureau|Green International]]
| europarl         = [[Renew Europe]]
| colours          = {{colour box|{{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}|border=darkgray}} Green
| seats1_title     = [[Parliament of Finland|Eduskunta]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}} <!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q506591 -->
| seats2_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}} <!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q506591 -->
| seats3_title     = [[List of municipalities of Finland|Municipalities]]
| seats3           = {{composition bar|2623|8586|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| seats4           = {{Infobox political party/seats|304|1379|{{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[Wellbeing services counties of Finland|County seats]]
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| country          = Finland
| abbreviation     = Kesk (Finnish)<br />C (Swedish)
| leader2_name     = [[Tuomas Kettunen]]<br>[[Hilkka Kemppi]]<br>[[Markus Lohi]]
| leader2_title    = Deputy chairs
| wing1            = {{ill|Vesaiset|fi|Vesaisten Keskusliitto}}
| wing1_title      = Children’s wing
}}

The '''Centre Party''' ({{langx|fi|Suomen Keskusta}} {{IPA|fi|ˈsuo̯men ˈkeskustɑ|}}, '''Kesk'''; {{langx|sv|Centern i Finland}}, '''C'''), officially the '''Centre Party of Finland''', is an [[Nordic agrarian parties|agrarian]] [[List of political parties in Finland|political party]] in [[Finland]].<ref name="periaateohjelma2018">{{Cite web|url=https://keskusta.fi/politiikkamme/ohjelmia-ja-linjauksia/periaateohjelma/|title=Suomen Keskustan periaateohjelma 2018|date=10 June 2018|website=Suomen Keskusta|access-date=22 February 2024|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Ideologically, the Centre Party is positioned in the [[Centrism|centre]] of the political spectrum.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Arter |first=David |date=1979 |title=The finnish centre party: Profile of a 'Hinge group' |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01402387908424229 |journal=West European Politics |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=108–127 |doi=10.1080/01402387908424229 |issn=0140-2382|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="periaateohjelma2018"/><ref name="EED"/><ref name="Colomer2008">{{cite book|author-link1=Josep Colomer|author=Josep M. Colomer|title=Political Institutions in Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZF8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA260|year= 2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-07354-2|page=260}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Escalona |first1=Fabien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wTu6EAAAQBAJ |title=The Palgrave Handbook of Radical Left Parties in Europe |last2=Keith |first2=Daniel |last3=March |first3=Luke |date=2023-04-17 |publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |isbn=978-1137562647 |pages=175 |quote=The SKDL returned to government in 1966, when the Paasio I cabinet (1966– 1968) was formed by three left-wing (SKDL, SDP and TPSL5) and one centrist (KESK) party. |access-date=2025-08-14}}</ref> It has been described as being [[Liberalism|liberal]]<ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite book|author1=Svante Ersson|author2=Jan-Erik Lane|title=Politics and Society in Western Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qw62oX96310C&pg=PA108|access-date=17 August 2012|year=1998|publisher=SAGE|isbn=978-0-7619-5862-8|page=108}}|{{cite book|author1=Gary Marks|author2=Carole Wilson|chapter=National Parties and the Contestation of Europe|editor1=T. Banchoff|editor2=Mitchell P. Smith|title=Legitimacy and the European Union|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GgvLEFPY8l4C&pg=PA123|access-date=26 August 2012|year=1999|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-18188-4|page=123}}|{{cite book|author=Lawrence Ezrow|chapter=Electoral systems and party responsiveness|editor1=Norman Schofield|editor2=Gonzalo Caballero|title=Political Economy of Institutions, Democracy and Voting|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wthzLK6m8gC&pg=PA319|year=2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-642-19519-8|page=319}}|{{Cite web|last=Jacobsen|first=Henriette|date=2014-05-25|title=Conservatives and liberals neck-and-neck in Finnish national election|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2014/news/conservatives-and-liberals-neck-and-neck-in-finnish-national-election/|access-date=2021-12-21|website=www.euractiv.com|language=en-GB}}|{{Cite web|date=2017-06-12|title=Finnish coalition at risk after party elects far right leader|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/12/finnish-prime-minister-seeks-to-break-up-coalition-government|access-date=2021-12-21|website=The Guardian|language=en}}|{{Cite web|date=2015-04-09|title=Finland's NCP in last-ditch attempt to retain power|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/finlands-ncp-in-last-ditch-attempt-to-retain-power-in/|access-date=2021-12-21|website=POLITICO|language=en-US}}}}</ref> and  [[liberal conservatism|liberal-conservative]].<ref name="EED">{{cite web|url=https://nsd.no/european_election_database/country/finland/parties.html|work=Norwegian Centre for Research Data|title=Finland—Political parties|access-date=8 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-03-17|title=Finnish PM improves his prospects with deft handling of a hot potato|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/17/kateconnolly.international|access-date=2021-12-21|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> The party’s leader is [[Antti Kaikkonen]], who was elected in June 2024 to succeed former minister [[Annika Saarikko]].<ref>{{Cite web | title=Centre Party picks Kaikkonen as new leader, NCP re-elects Orpo |publisher=yle.fi |work=yle  |date=15 June 2024 |access-date=15 June 2024 |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20094263 }}</ref> As of June 2023, the party has been a part of the parliamentary opposition.

Founded in 1906 as the Agrarian League ({{langx|fi|link=no|Maalaisliitto}}; {{langx|sv|link=no|Agrarförbundet}}), the party represented rural communities and supported the [[decentralisation]] of political power from [[Helsinki]]. In the 1920s, the party emerged as the main rival to the SDP. [[Kyösti Kallio]], the party's first prime minister, held the office for four times between 1922 and 1937. After [[World War II]], the party settled as one of the four major political parties in Finland, alongside the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|SDP]], the [[National Coalition Party]] and the [[Finnish People's Democratic League]] until the 1980s. [[Urho Kekkonen]] served as [[President of Finland]] from 1956 to 1982, by far the longest period of any president. The name Centre Party was adopted in 1965 and Centre of Finland in 1988. The Centre Party was the largest party in Parliament from 2003 to 2011, during which time [[Matti Vanhanen]] was prime minister for seven years. By [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election|2011]], the party was reduced in parliamentary representation from the largest party to the fourth largest, but it reclaimed its status as the largest party in [[2015 Finnish parliamentary election|2015]]. In [[2019 Finnish parliamentary election|2019]], it suffered a considerable defeat, losing 18 of 49 seats.

As a [[Nordic agrarian party]], the Centre Party's political influence is greatest in small and rural municipalities, where it often holds a majority of the seats in the municipal councils. Decentralisation is the policy that is most characteristic of the Centre Party which has been the ruling party in Finland a number of times since [[Finnish Declaration of Independence|Finnish independence]]. Twelve of the [[List of Prime Ministers of Finland|Prime Ministers of Finland]], three of the [[List of Presidents of Finland|Presidents]] and a former [[European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs]] have been from the party. The Centre Party is the mother organisation of the [[Finnish Centre Students]], the [[Finnish Centre Youth]] and the {{ill|Finnish Centre Women|fi|Suomen Keskustanaiset}}.

== History ==

=== Founding ===
[[File:Santeri Alkio3.jpg|thumb|[[Santeri Alkio]], the ideological father of the Centre Party.]]
The party was founded in 1906 as a movement of citizens in the Finnish countryside. Before Finnish independence, political power in Finland was centralised in the capital and to the [[estates of the realm]]. The centralisation gave space for a new political movement. In 1906, two [[Agrarianism|agrarian]] movements were founded. They merged in 1908 to become one political party known as the Agrarian League or ''Maalaisliitto''. An older, related movement was the [[temperance movement in Finland|temperance movement]] which had overlapping membership and gave future to Agrarian League activists experience in working in an organisation.<ref>Mickelsson, Rauli. ''Suomen puolueet – historia, muutos ja nykypäivä.'' Vastapaino, 2007.</ref>

=== Santeri Alkio's ideology ===
Soon the ideas of humanity, education, the spirit of the land, yeomanly liberty, [[decentralisation]], "the issue of poor people", [[progressivism]]<ref name="hs.fi">Mylly, Juhani. Maalaisliitto-Keskustan historia II. {{cite web |url=http://www.hs.fi/kirjat/artikkeli/Suomen+keskustanv%C3%A4kev%C3%A4+nuoruusMaalaisliiton+historian+toinen+osa+on+j%C3%A4rjest%C3%B6historian+eliitti%C3%A4/900525165 |title=Mylly Juhani - Maalaisliitto 1918-1939. Maalaisliitto-Keskustapuolueen historia 2 - Kirjayhtymä 1989 - HS.fi - Kirjat |access-date=2011-02-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720185354/http://www.hs.fi/kirjat/artikkeli/Suomen+keskustanv%C3%A4kev%C3%A4+nuoruusMaalaisliiton+historian+toinen+osa+on+j%C3%A4rjest%C3%B6historian+eliitti%C3%A4/900525165 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and later the "green wave" became the main political phrases used to describe the ideology of the party. [[Santeri Alkio]] was the most important ideological father of the party.

=== Defending the republic ===
At the dawn of Finnish independence, [[Conservatism|conservative]] social forces made an attempt to establish the [[Kingdom of Finland (1918)|Kingdom of Finland]]. The Agrarian League opposed [[monarchism]] fiercely,<ref name="hs.fi"/> even though monarchists claimed that a new king from the [[German Empire]] and [[House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern]] would have safeguarded Finnish foreign relations. {{clarify|text=At this time, anti-[[anarchism|anarchist]] peasants threatened the existence of the party.|date=September 2025}}<ref name="Vares113">Vares 2006, p. 113.</ref><ref name="Vares108">Vares 2006, p. 108</ref>

Because around forty Social Democratic members of the [[Parliament of Finland|Parliament]] had escaped to Russia after the [[Finnish Civil War]] and about fifty others had been arrested, the Agrarian League members of the Parliament became the only republicans in Parliament in 1918. Nevertheless, the news about the problems of the German Empire from German [[Liberalism in Germany|liberals]] encouraged the fight of Agrarian League in the Parliament.<ref name="Vares122-126">Vares 2006, p. 122-126</ref>

The Agrarian League managed to maintain the republican voices in the Parliament until the fall of the German Empire which ruined the dreams of the monarchists.<ref name="Vares288-289">Vares 1998, p. 288-289</ref> The relentless opposition to the monarchy was rewarded in the [[1919 Finnish parliamentary election]] and the party became the biggest non-[[socialist]] party in Finland with 19.7% of the votes.

=== Post-war period ===
After the 1919 Finnish parliamentary election, the centrist and progressive forces, including the Agrarian League, were constant members in Finnish governments. Their moderate attitude in restless post-war Finland secured a steady growth in following elections. The party formed many [[centrist]] minority governments with [[National Progressive Party (Finland)|National Progressive Party]] and got its first Prime Ministers ([[Kyösti Kallio]] in 1922 and [[Juho Sunila]] in 1927).

=== Conciliation between the left and the right ===
For the Agrarian League, the centrist governments were just a transitional period toward an era which would integrate the red and white sides of the Civil War into one nation. Nevertheless, not everyone was happy with the conciliatory politics of centrist governments. The [[extreme right]] [[Lapua Movement]] grew bigger and bigger in the Agrarian League strongholds in the countryside. Many party members joined the new radical movement. The Lapua Movement organised assaults and kidnappings in Finland between 1929 and 1932. In 1930, after the kidnapping of progressive president [[Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg]], the Agrarian League broke off all its ties to the movement and got a new political enemy in the countryside, the [[Patriotic People's Movement (Finland)|Patriotic People's Movement]] (IKL) which was founded after the Lapua Movement was outlawed.<ref>Siltala, Juha: Lapuan liike ja kyyditykset 1930, 1985, Otava</ref>

In the [[1933 Finnish parliamentary election]], the main campaign issues were the differing attitudes toward democracy and the rule of law between the Patriotic Electoral Alliance (the [[National Coalition Party]] and the Patriotic People's Movement) and the Legality Front (the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democrats]], the Agrarian League, the [[Swedish People's Party of Finland|Swedish People's Party]] and the [[National Progressive Party (Finland)|Progressives]]). The Patriotic Electoral Alliance favoured continuing the search for suspected communists, the Communist Party and its affiliated organisations in the spirit of the Lapua Movement. The Legality Front did not want to spend any significant time on searching suspected communists but rather wanted to concentrate on keeping the far-right in check. The Legality Front won the elections, but the Agrarian League lost a part of its support.<ref>Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen, Helsinki:  WSOY, 2003</ref><ref>Sakari Virkkunen, Finland's Presidents I / Suomen presidentit I, Helsinki:  WSOY, 1994</ref>

=== Cooperation with the Social Democrats ===
[[File:Kallio vierailulla sotasairaalassa.jpg|thumb|Finland's centrist president [[Kyösti Kallio]] on a Christmas 1939 visit to a military hospital.]]
Because of fierce opposition of the president [[Pehr Evind Svinhufvud]], the Social Democrats remained outside the government and the Agrarian League was part of the [[centre-right]] governments until 1937. In the [[1937 Finnish presidential election]], the Agrarian League candidate [[Kyösti Kallio]] was elected president with the votes of centrist (Agrarian and Progressive) and social-democratic coalition which wanted to ensure that President Svinhufvud would not be re-elected. The new president allowed the first [[centre-left]] government to be formed in Finland and a new era had begun.

=== World War II ===
With the outbreak of the Winter War, a government of national unity was formed. President Kallio died shortly after the war.

=== Kekkonen, the centrist statesman ===
[[File:Pieksämäki - Kekkos-graffiti IMG 0227 C.JPG|thumb|[[Urho Kekkonen]], the president of Finland from 1956 to 1982 who became a symbolic figure of a statesman in Finland as testified by this [[graffiti]] representing Kekkonen in [[Pieksämäki]].]]
In 1956, [[Urho Kekkonen]], the candidate of the Agrarian League, was elected [[President of Finland]] after serving as prime minister several times and remained president until 1982. Kekkonen continued the active neutrality policy of his predecessor [[Juho Kusti Paasikivi]], a doctrine which came to be known as the [[Paasikivi–Kekkonen doctrine|Paasikivi–Kekkonen line]]. Under it, Finland retained its independence while being able to trade with [[NATO]] members and those of the [[Warsaw Pact]].

=== Pressure of populism ===
[[Veikko Vennamo]], a vocal agrarian politician, ran into serious disagreement particularly with the then-Party Secretary of the Agrarian Party Arvo Korsimo, who was excluded from the parliamentary group. As a result, Vennamo immediately started building his own organisation in 1959 and founded a new party, the [[Finnish Rural Party]] (''Suomen maaseudun puolue'', SMP). Vennamo was a [[populism|populist]] and became a critic of Kekkonen and [[political corruption]] within the old parties, particularly the Agrarian League. Although this party had some success, it was essentially tied to Veikko Vennamo's person. His son Pekka Vennamo was able to raise the party to new success and into government in 1983, but after this the Rural Party's support declined steadily and eventually the party went bankrupt in 1995. Immediately after this, the [[right-wing populism|right-wing populist]] [[Finns Party]] (''Perussuomalaiset'') was founded by former members of SMP.

=== Transformation into the Centre Party ===
In 1965, the party changed its name to the Centre Party (''Keskustapuolue'') and in 1988 took its current Centre Party of Finland name (''Suomen Keskusta''). Despite urbanisation of Finland and a temporary nadir in support, the party managed to continue to attract voters.

The [[Liberals (Finland)|Liberal People's Party]] (LKP) became a member party of the Centre Party in 1982.  The two separated again after the success of the [[Liberals (Sweden)|Liberal People's Party]] in the [[1985 Swedish general election]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Liberal Parties in Western Europe |author=David Arter |editor=Emil Joseph Kirchner |year=1988 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-32394-9 |pages=326–327 |chapter=Liberal parties in Finland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9IrE08SV1wEC }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

=== Division over EU membership ===
[[File:Olli Rehn by Moritz Kosinsky 2.jpg|thumb|[[Olli Rehn]], European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro (2010–2014).]]
The Centre Party was a key player in making the decision to apply for Finnish EU membership in 1992. As the leading governing party, its support for the application was crucial. The party itself, both leadership and supporters, was far from united on the issue. In the Parliament, 22 out of 55 Centre MPs voted against the application. In June 1994, the party congress decided to support EU membership (by 1607 votes to 834), but only after the Prime Minister and Party Chair [[Esko Aho]] threatened to resign if the party were to oppose the membership.

The centrist tradition of defending equal political and economic rights for peripheral areas was reflected in the internal resistance that opposed chairperson Aho's ambitions to lead Finland into the EU.<ref>Raunio, Tapio. Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Tampere, The difficult task of opposing EU in Finland http://www.essex.ac.uk/ECPR/events/jointsessions/paperarchive/turin/ws25/RAUNIO.pdf{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Centre Party was in opposition from 1995 to 2003 and opposed adopting the [[euro]] as Finland's currency. The party accepted the euro after regaining power in 2003.

=== 2012 and beyond ===
The party congress in June 2012 elected the newcomer [[Juha Sipilä]] to replace Mari Kiviniemi as the party's chair. Sipilä defeated young deputy chairperson Tuomo Puumala and a well known veteran politician Paavo Väyrynen in the voting.

The previous chairperson Mari Kiviniemi succeeded Matti Vanhanen as Prime Minister in 2010, serving in the office for one year. At the time, she was the Centre Party’s third [[Prime Minister of Finland]] in succession. [[Anneli Jäätteenmäki]] preceded Vanhanen, she was also the first woman to be Prime Minister of Finland. She did not seek another term as party chair.

Olli Rehn, a member of the party, served in the [[European Commission]] for ten years between 2004 and 2014 and was the [[Executive Vice President of the European Commission for An Economy that Works for People|European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs and the Euro]] from 2010 to 2014.

The Centre Party was the biggest loser of the [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election]], losing 16 seats and going from largest party to fourth place. Its support was lower than in any parliamentary election since [[1917 Finnish parliamentary election|1917]]. It won the [[2015 Finnish parliamentary election]] and formed a coalition with the [[Finns Party]] and the [[National Coalition Party]].

In March 2016, the Centre Party announced that its candidate for the [[2018 Finnish presidential election]] would be the former Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, the first declared presidential candidate in the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hs.fi/politiikka/a1458188578788?ref=hs-prio-4-3 |title=Vanhanen lähtee presidenttikisaan ja luopuu keskustan eduskuntaryhmän johdosta |publisher=Helsingin sanomat |date=17 March 2016 |access-date=18 March 2016 |language=fi}}</ref><ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/vanhanenpresidentiksi/ Matti Vanhanen presidentiksi] {{webarchive|url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20160521074555/https://sites.google.com/site/vanhanenpresidentiksi/ |date=21 May 2016 }} (in Finnish). Retrieved 2016-05-21.</ref><ref>[https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000001140341.html Matti Vanhanen kertoo nyt, miksi hän haluaa Suomen presidentiksi]  (in Finnish). ''Ilta Sanomat''. Retrieved 2016-05-21.</ref>

The Centre Party was again the biggest loser in the [[2019 Finnish parliamentary election]], losing 18 seats and going from largest party to fourth place. The party's support was even lower than in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000006071916.html |title=Näillä kuudella tavalla vaalitulos oli historiallinen |last=Nalbantoglu |first=Minna |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=15 April 2019 |access-date=16 April 2019 |language=fi}}</ref> Due to the devastating defeat, Sipilä consequently announced that he would continue as the party chair only until the Centre Party's next convention in September 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10742558 |title=Juha Sipilä jättää puheenjohtajan tehtävät, ei halua tulla tänään median eteen – Katso, miten puoluesihteeri kommentoi Sipilän eroa |publisher=Yle |date=16 April 2019 |access-date=16 April 2019 |language=fi}}</ref> The party congress in September 2019 elected the Minister of Economic Affairs [[Katri Kulmuni]] to replace Sipilä as the party's chair.<ref name="kulmuni">{{cite news|last1=Virtanen|first1=Jarno|date=2019-09-07|title=Keskustan uudeksi puheenjohtajaksi valittiin Katri Kulmuni|df=dmy-all|language=fi|publisher=Yle Uutiset|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10960622|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref>

On 5 September 2020, during a party congress, [[Annika Saarikko]] was elected as the leader of the Centre Party to replace [[Katri Kulmuni]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2020|title=Saarikko beats Kulmuni in Centre Party leadership vote|df=dmy-all
|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/saarikko_beats_kulmuni_in_centre_party_leadership_vote/11529556|access-date=2020-10-20|website=Yle Uutiset}}</ref>

During late 2022, The Centre Party was polling at its lowest record in support in polls with less than 10% support.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/22507-hs-support-for-centre-falls-to-yet-another-record-low.html|title=HS: Support for Centre falls to yet another record-low|date=17 November 2022|work=[[Helsinki Times]]|access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/22641-yle-support-for-centre-slips-below-10-for-first-time-ever.html|title=YLE: Support for Centre slips below 10% for first time ever|date=9 December 2022|work=Helsinki Times|access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref>

== Ideology ==
{{Update section|date=January 2025|reason=All the information in this section is from 2014 or earlier}}
[[File:Keskusta stall Jyvaskyla.JPG|thumb|A Centre Party campaign in [[Jyväskylä]].]]
The ideology of the party is unusual in the European context. Unlike many other large parties in Europe, its ideology is not primarily based on economic systems. Rather, the ideas of humanity, education, the spirit of the land, yeomanly liberty, [[decentralisation]], "the issue of poor people", environmentalism and progressivism play a key role in Centre Party politician speeches and writings.<ref name="hs.fi"/> From the very beginning of its presence, the party has supported the idea of decentralisation.<ref name="hs.fi"/>

Despite belonging to the Liberal International, the Centre Party does not play quite the same role in Finnish politics as do liberal parties in other countries because the party evolved from agrarian roots.

The party has a more [[conservative]] wing, and prominent conservatives within the party such as [[Paavo Väyrynen]] have criticised overt [[Economic liberalism|economic]] and [[cultural liberalism]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kaleva.fi/uutiset/vayrynen-ryopyttaa-keskustan-liberaaleja/548907|title=Väyrynen ryöpyttää keskustan liberaaleja|work=Kaleva.fi|access-date=24 February 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001101301/http://www.kaleva.fi/uutiset/vayrynen-ryopyttaa-keskustan-liberaaleja/548907|archive-date=1 October 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In addition, the 2010 party congress voted to oppose [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/110394-homoliitot-nama-puolueet-sanovat-ei|title=Homoliitot: Nämä puolueet sanovat ei|work=Uusi Suomi|date=21 March 2011 |access-date=24 February 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230192114/http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/110394-homoliitot-nama-puolueet-sanovat-ei|archive-date=30 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> When the Finnish Parliament voted on same-sex marriage in 2014, 30 of the 36 Centre MPs voted against it.<ref>[http://yle.fi/uutiset/cracking_open_the_numbers_in_the_same-sex_marriage_vote/7659314 Cracking open the numbers in the same-sex marriage vote] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203190422/http://yle.fi/uutiset/cracking_open_the_numbers_in_the_same-sex_marriage_vote/7659314 |date=3 December 2014 }}, YLE 28 November 2014, accessed 5 November 2014.</ref>

The party is also divided on the issue of deepening [[European integration]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitus/artikkeli/Keskusta+sai+mahdollisuuden+uusiutua/1135265789055 |title=Keskusta sai mahdollisuuden uusiutua - HS.fi - Pääkirjoitukset |access-date=2011-08-04 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504035856/http://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitus/artikkeli/Keskusta+sai+mahdollisuuden+uusiutua/1135265789055 |archive-date=4 May 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and contains a notable [[Euroscepticism|Eurosceptic]] faction based on its more rural interests. The party expressly rejects a [[federal Europe]]. The Centre Party was originally opposed to Finland's membership in the [[euro]] currency, but the party later stated that it would not seek to withdraw from the [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union|Economic and Monetary Union]] once Finland had entered.

In Finland, there is no large party that supports [[liberalism]] ''per se''. Instead, liberalism is found in most major parties including the Centre Party which supports decentralisation, free will, free and fair trade and small enterprise. The Centre Party characteristically supports [[Decentralization|decentralisation]], particularly the decrease of central power, the increase of the power of municipalities and the even spread of the population in Finland. During the party's premierships between 2003 and 2011, these policies were also manifested as transferrals of certain government agencies from the capital to smaller cities in the regions.

Throughout the period of Finland's independence, the Centre Party has been the party most often represented in the government. The country's longest-serving President, [[Urho Kekkonen]], was a member of the party as were two other Presidents.

Today, only a small portion of the votes given to the party come from farmers. As such, the Centre Party draws support from a wide range of professions. Rural Finland and small towns still form the strongest base of support for the party, although it has also strived for a breakthrough in the major southern cities. In the [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election]], the party received 4.5% of the votes cast in the capital, Helsinki, compared to the 33.4% in the largely rural electoral district of [[Oulu (electoral district)|Oulu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yle.fi/vaalit/tulospalvelu/2011/index.html|title=Vaalit 2011|work=Yle Uutiset|access-date=24 February 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507165011/http://yle.fi/vaalit/tulospalvelu/2011/index.html|archive-date=7 May 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Organisation ==

=== Structure ===
In the organisation of the Centre Party, local associations dominate the election of party leaders, the selection of local candidates and drafting of policy. The headquarters in Apollonkatu, Helsinki leads financing and organisation of elections.

The party has 2,500 local associations<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keskusta.fi/Suomeksi/Piirit/Etela-Pohjanmaa/Suomeksi/Kunnat/Alavus/Alavuden_Keskusta/Paikallisyhdistykset.iw3|title=Paikallisyhdistykset|access-date=24 February 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630112424/http://www.keskusta.fi/Suomeksi/Piirit/Etela-Pohjanmaa/Suomeksi/Kunnat/Alavus/Alavuden_Keskusta/Paikallisyhdistykset.iw3|archive-date=30 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> which have 160,000 individual members.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.keskusta.fi/Suomeksi/Keskusta/Keskustan_ihmiset.iw3 |title=Keskusta.fi / Suomeksi / Keskusta / Keskustan ihmiset |access-date=2011-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129035645/http://www.keskusta.fi/Suomeksi/Keskusta/Keskustan_ihmiset.iw3 |archive-date=29 November 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> The local associations elect their representatives to the party congress which elects the party leadership and decide on policy. The local associations form also 21 regional organisations which have also their representatives in the party congress.

The party congress is the highest decision-making body of the party. It elects the chairperson, three deputy chairs, the secretary-general and the party council.

With 135 members, the party council is the main decision-making body between the party congresses. The party council elects the party government (excluding the leaders elected by the party congress) and the working committee. The party council, the party government and the Working Committee must have at least 40% representation of both sexes.

The [[Finnish Centre Students]], the {{ill|Finnish Centre Women|fi|Suomen Keskustanaiset}} and the [[Finnish Centre Youth]] have their own local and regional organisations which also name their representatives to the party congress.

=== People ===
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Antti Kaikkonen 2019.jpg|[[Antti Kaikkonen]], Chairperson of the Centre Party of Finland
File:Hilkka Kemppi.jpg|[[Hilkka Kemppi]], Deputy Chair of the Centre Party of Finland
File:Markus Lohi 2020.jpg|[[Markus Lohi]], Deputy Chair of the Centre Party of Finland
File:Antti_Kurvinen_2021_(cropped).jpg|[[Antti Kurvinen]], Chair of the Centre Party of Finland’s Parliamentary Group
</gallery>

==== Chairperson ====
* [[Antti Kaikkonen]] (born 1974)

==== Deputy chairs ====
* [[Tuomas Kettunen]] (born 1988)<ref name=partyleaders/>
* [[Markus Lohi]] (born 1972)<ref name=partyleaders>{{cite web|title=Keskustan puoluejohto |url=https://keskusta.fi/meista/ihmiset/puoluejohto/ |website=Centre Party of Finland |access-date=2024-03-12 |language=fi |date=2024-03-12}}</ref>
* [[Hilkka Kemppi]] (born 1988)<ref name=partyleaders/>

==== Secretary-general ====
* {{ill|Antti Siika-aho|fi}} (born 1986)<ref name=partyleaders/>

==== Chair of the parliamentary group ====
* [[Antti Kurvinen]] (born 1986)<ref name=parliamentarygroup>{{cite web |title=Kansanedustajat|url=https://keskusta.fi/meista/ihmiset/kansanedustajat/|website=Centre Party of Finland|access-date=2024-03-12|date=2024-03-12|language=fi}}</ref>

==== Deputy chairs of the parliamentary group ====
* [[Eeva Kalli]] (born 1981)<ref name=parliamentarygroup/>
* [[Eerikki Viljanen]] (born 1975)<ref name=parliamentarygroup/>

==== Other contemporary politicians ====
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Olli_Rehn_by_Moritz_Kosinsky_2.jpg|[[Olli Rehn]], [[Executive Vice President of the European Commission for An Economy that Works for People|European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs and the Euro]], ex-[[Member of the European Parliament]] and Centre Party [[candidate]] in the [[2024 Finnish presidential election]]
File:Hannu_Takkula_Remembrance_Forum.jpg|[[Hannu Takkula]], former Member of the European Parliament
File:Simo Rundgren.jpg|[[Simo Rundgren]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament
File:Janne Seurujärvi.jpg|[[Janne Seurujärvi]], first [[Sámi peoples|Sámi]] in the [[Parliament of Finland|Finnish Parliament]]
File:Laura Kolbe.jpg|[[Laura Kolbe]], Member of the [[City Council of Helsinki|Helsinki City Council]]
File:Timo Kalli.jpg|[[Timo Kalli]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament and ex-Speaker of the Finnish Parliament
File:Sirkka-Liisa Anttila.jpg|[[Sirkka-Liisa Anttila]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament and ex-[[Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (Finland)|Minister of Agriculture and Forestry]]
File:Eskokiviranta1.JPG|[[Esko Kiviranta]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament
File:Jäätteenmäki Anneli 2014-02-06 1.jpg|[[Anneli Jäätteenmäki]], former [[Member of the European Parliament]] and ex-Prime Minister of Finland
File:Mikkoalatalo7.JPG|[[Mikko Alatalo]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament
File:Lasse Hautala Seinäjoki (cropped).jpg|[[Lasse Hautala]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament
File:Antti Kaikkonen in 2019.jpg|[[Antti Kaikkonen]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament and ex-[[Minister of Defence (Finland)|Minister of Defence]]
File:Seppokaariainenoffice.jpg|[[Seppo Kääriäinen]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament, ex-Minister (many ministerial positions) and ex-Speaker of the Finnish Parliament
File:Mauri Pekkarinen.jpg|[[Mauri Pekkarinen]], former Member of the Finnish Parliament and ex-Minister (many ministerial positions)
File:Paavo Väyrynen.jpg|[[Paavo Väyrynen]], three-time [[Candidate|Presidential Candidate]], Honorary Chair of the Centre Party and ex-Minister (many ministerial positions)
</gallery>

== International representation ==
The party is a member of the [[Liberal International]] and the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party]] and subscribes to the liberal manifestos of these organisations. The Centre Party has been a full member of the Liberal International since 1988, having first joined as an observer member in 1983.<ref>{{cite book |title=Liberal Parties in Western Europe |first1=Michael |last1=Steed |first2=Peter |last2=Humphreys |editor-last=Kirchner |editor-first=Emil Joseph |year=1988 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-32394-9 |page=411 |chapter=Identifying liberal parties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9IrE08SV1wEC }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In the [[European Parliament]], the Center Party sits in the [[Renew Europe|Renew Europe group]] with two MEPs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Elsi KATAINEN {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/191693/ELSI_KATAINEN/home|access-date=2021-04-16|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=17 December 1966 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Mauri PEKKARINEN {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197563/MAURI_PEKKARINEN/home|access-date=2021-04-16|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=6 October 1947 |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[European Committee of the Regions]], the Center Party sits in the [[Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions|Renew Europe CoR]] group with one full and two alternate members for the 2025-2030 mandate.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members page CoR - Full|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=mem&language=en&country=FI&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1618556442414|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229182713/http://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/ |archive-date=29 December 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Members page - Alternate|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=alt&language=en&country=FI&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1618556502611|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229182713/http://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/ |archive-date=29 December 2016 }}</ref> Mirja Vehkapera is the third vice-president of the Renew Europe Group in the European Committee of the Regions.

== Prominent leaders ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Santeri Alkio2.jpg|[[Santeri Alkio]], political ideologist
File:Lauri Kristian Relander, 1920s.jpg|[[Lauri Kristian Relander]], President (1925–1931)
File:Ky%C3%B6sti_Kallio.png|[[Kyösti Kallio]], four-time Prime Minister (1922–1937) and President (1937–1940)
File:Urho-Kekkonen-1977-c.jpg|[[Urho Kekkonen]], two-time Prime Minister (1950–1956) and President (1956–1981)
File:JohannesVirolainen1975.jpg|[[Johannes Virolainen]], Prime Minister (1964–1966)
File:Esko Aho 2010-05-28.jpg|[[Esko Aho]], Prime Minister of Finland (1991–1995) and Executive Vice President of Nokia (2008–2013)
File:Jäätteenmäki Anneli 2014-02-06 1.jpg|[[Anneli Jäätteenmäki]], first female Prime Minister (2003)
File:Matti Vanhanen 2017 06.jpg|[[Matti Vanhanen]], two-time Prime Minister (2003–2010)
File:Mari Kiviniemi 2010-11-02 (2).jpg|[[Mari Kiviniemi]], Prime Minister (2010–2011)
File:Tallinn Digital Summit. Handshake Juha Sipilä (2017).jpg|[[Juha Sipilä]], Prime Minister (2015–March 2019)
</gallery>

== List of presidents ==
{|class="wikitable"
!President
!Term begin
!Term end
|-
|[[Otto Karhi]]
|1906
|1909
|-
|[[Kyösti Kallio]]
|1909
|1917
|-
|[[Filip Saalasti]]
|1917
|1918
|-
|[[Santeri Alkio]]
|1918
|1919
|-
|[[Pekka Heikkinen]]
|1919
|1940
|-
|[[Viljami Kalliokoski]]
|1940
|1945
|-
|[[Vieno Johannes Sukselainen]]
|1945
|1964
|-
|[[Johannes Virolainen]]
|1964
|1980
|-
|[[Paavo Väyrynen]]
|1980
|1990
|-
|[[Esko Aho]] (first time)
|1990
|2000
|-
|[[Anneli Jäätteenmäki]] (first time)
|2000
|2001
|-
|[[Esko Aho]] (second time)
|2001
|2002
|-
|[[Anneli Jäätteenmäki]] (second time)
|2002
|2003
|-
|[[Matti Vanhanen]]
|2003
|2010
|-
|[[Mari Kiviniemi]]
|2010
|2012
|-
|[[Juha Sipilä]]
|2012
|2019
|-
|[[Katri Kulmuni]]
|2019
|2020
|-
|[[Annika Saarikko]]
|2020
|2024
|-
|[[Antti Kaikkonen]]
|2024
|Present
|}

== Election results ==

=== Parliament of Finland ===
[[File:Eduskuntavaalit 2011 - Suomen Keskusta.svg|thumb|Support for the Centre Party by municipality in the 2011 parliamentary election in which the party has traditionally fared strongest in the northern part of the country.]]
<timeline>
ImageSize  = width:1100 height:240
PlotArea   = width:1000 height:160 left:50 bottom:60
AlignBars  = justify

DateFormat = x.y
Period     = from:0 till:30
TimeAxis   = orientation:vertical
AlignBars  = justify
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:0
Colors     =
  id:SB value:rgb(0.01,0.58,0.29) legend:Sea_Battles
PlotData   =
  bar:% color:SB width:22   mark:(line,white) align:left fontsize:S
  bar:1907 from:start till:5.75 text:5.8
  bar:1908 from:start till:6.39 text:6.4
  bar:1909 from:start till:6.73 text:6.7
  bar:1910 from:start till:7.60 text:7.6
  bar:1911 from:start till:7.84 text:7.8
  bar:1913 from:start till:7.87 text:7.9
  bar:1916 from:start till:9.00 text:9.0
  bar:1917 from:start till:12.38 text:12.4
  bar:1919 from:start till:19.70 text:19.7
  bar:1922 from:start till:20.27 text:20.3
  bar:1924 from:start till:20.25 text:20.3
  bar:1927 from:start till:22.56 text:22.6
  bar:1929 from:start till:26.15 text:26.1
  bar:1930 from:start till:27.28 text:27.3
  bar:1933 from:start till:22.54 text:22.5
  bar:1936 from:start till:22.41 text:22.4
  bar:1939 from:start till:22.86 text:22.9
  bar:1945 from:start till:21.35 text:21.4
  bar:1948 from:start till:24.24 text:24.2
  bar:1951 from:start till:23.26 text:23.3
  bar:1954 from:start till:24.10 text:24.1
  bar:1958 from:start till:23.06 text:23.1
  bar:1962 from:start till:22.95 text:23.0
  bar:1966 from:start till:21.23 text:21.2
  bar:1970 from:start till:17.12 text:17.1
  bar:1972 from:start till:16.41 text:16.4
  bar:1975 from:start till:17.63 text:17.6
  bar:1979 from:start till:17.29 text:17.3
  bar:1983 from:start till:17.63 text:17.6
  bar:1987 from:start till:17.62 text:17.6
  bar:1991 from:start till:24.83 text:24.8
  bar:1995 from:start till:19.85 text:19.9
  bar:1999 from:start till:22.40 text:22.4
  bar:2003 from:start till:24.69 text:24.7
  bar:2007 from:start till:23.11 text:23.1
  bar:2011 from:start till:15.82 text:15.8
  bar:2015 from:start till:21.10 text:21.1
  bar:2019 from:start till:13.80 text:13.8
  bar:2023 from:start till:11.31 text:11.3
</timeline>
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/-
! Government
|-
! [[1907 Finnish parliamentary election|1907]]
| 51,242
| 5.75
| {{composition bar|9|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| New
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1908 Finnish parliamentary election|1908]]
| 51,756
| 6.39
| {{composition bar|10|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1909 Finnish parliamentary election|1909]]
| 56,943
| 6.73
| {{composition bar|13|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1910 Finnish parliamentary election|1910]]
| 60,157
| 7.60
| {{composition bar|17|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1911 Finnish parliamentary election|1911]]
| 62,885
| 7.84
| {{composition bar|16|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1913 Finnish parliamentary election|1913]]
| 56,977
| 7.87
| {{composition bar|18|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1916 Finnish parliamentary election|1916]]
| 71,608
| 9.00
| {{composition bar|19|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1917 Finnish parliamentary election|1917]]
| 122,900
| 12.38
| {{composition bar|26|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1919 Finnish parliamentary election|1919]]
| 189,297
| 19.70
| {{composition bar|42|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 16
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1922 Finnish parliamentary election|1922]]
| 175,401
| 20.27
| {{composition bar|45|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! rowspan=2|[[1924 Finnish parliamentary election|1924]]
| rowspan=2|177,982
| rowspan=2|20.25
| rowspan=2|{{composition bar|44|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| rowspan=2|{{decrease}} 1
| {{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(1924–1925)}}
|-
| {{no2|Opposition}} {{small|(1926–1927)}}
|-
! [[1927 Finnish parliamentary election|1927]]
| 205,313
| 22.56
| {{composition bar|52|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1929 Finnish parliamentary election|1929]]
| 248,762
| 26.15
| {{composition bar|60|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1930 Finnish parliamentary election|1930]]
| 308,280
| 27.28
| {{composition bar|59|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1933 Finnish parliamentary election|1933]]
| 249,758
| 22.54
| {{composition bar|53|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1936 Finnish parliamentary election|1936]]
| 262,917
| 22.41
| {{composition bar|53|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1939 Finnish parliamentary election|1939]]
| 296,529
| 22.86
| {{composition bar|56|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1945 Finnish parliamentary election|1945]]
| 362,662
| 21.35
| {{composition bar|49|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! rowspan=2|[[1948 Finnish parliamentary election|1948]]
| rowspan=2|455,635
| rowspan=2|24.24
| rowspan=2|{{composition bar|56|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| rowspan=2|{{increase}} 7
| {{no2|Opposition}} {{small|(1948–1950)}}
|-
| {{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(1950–1951)}}
|-
! [[1951 Finnish parliamentary election|1951]]
| 421,613
| 23.26
| {{composition bar|51|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1954 Finnish parliamentary election|1954]]
| 483,958
| 24.10
| {{composition bar|53|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1958 Finnish parliamentary election|1958]]
| 448,364
| 23.06
| {{Composition bar|48|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1962 Finnish parliamentary election|1962]]
| 528,409
| 22.95
| {{composition bar|53|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}} 
| {{increase}} 5
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1966 Finnish parliamentary election|1966]]
| 503,047
| 21.23
| {{composition bar|49|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1970 Finnish parliamentary election|1970]]
| 434,150
| 17.12
| {{composition bar|36|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}} 
| {{decrease}} 13
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! rowspan=2|[[1972 Finnish parliamentary election|1972]]
| rowspan=2|423,039
| rowspan=2|16.41
| rowspan=2|{{composition bar|35|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| rowspan=2|{{decrease}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}} {{small|(1972)}}
|-
| {{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(1972–1975)}}
|-
! [[1975 Finnish parliamentary election|1975]]
| 484,772
| 17.63
| {{composition bar|39|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1979 Finnish parliamentary election|1979]]
| 500,478
| 17.29
| {{composition bar|36|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1983 Finnish parliamentary election|1983]]
| 525,207
| 17.63
| {{composition bar|38|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1987 Finnish parliamentary election|1987]]
| 507,460
| 17.62
| {{composition bar|40|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1991 Finnish parliamentary election|1991]]
| 676,717
| 24.83
| {{composition bar|55|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 15
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1995 Finnish parliamentary election|1995]]
| 552,003
| 19.85
| {{composition bar|44|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 11
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1999 Finnish parliamentary election|1999]]
| 600,592
| 22.40
| {{composition bar|48|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}} 
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2003 Finnish parliamentary election|2003]]
| 689,391
| 24.69
| {{composition bar|55|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2007 Finnish parliamentary election|2007]]
| 640,428
| 23.11
| {{composition bar|51|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election|2011]]
| 463,160
| 15.82
| {{composition bar|35|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 16
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2015 Finnish parliamentary election|2015]]
| 626,218
| 21.10
| {{composition bar|49|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 14
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2019 Finnish parliamentary election|2019]]
| 423,920
| 13.76
| {{composition bar|31|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 18
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2023 Finnish parliamentary election|2023]]
| 349,362
| 11.30
| {{composition bar|23|200|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}

=== Municipal ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!align="center" style=background:#CCDDEE|Year
!align="center" style=background:#CCDDEE|Councillors
!align="center" style=background:#CCDDEE colspan=2|Votes
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1950 Finnish municipal elections|1950]]
|align="center"|
|align="right"|121,804
|align="right"|8.09%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1953 Finnish municipal elections|1953]]
|align="center"|
|align="right"|282,331
|align="right"|16.04%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1956 Finnish municipal elections|1956]]
|align="center"|
|align="right"|366,380
|align="right"|21.91%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1960 Finnish municipal elections|1960]]
|align="center"|
|align="right"|401,346
|align="right"|20.44%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1964 Finnish municipal elections|1964]]
|align="center"|
|align="right"|413,561
|align="right"|19.28%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1968 Finnish municipal elections|1968]]
|align="center"|3,533
|align="right"|428,841
|align="right"|18.93%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1972 Finnish municipal elections|1972]]
|align="center"|3,297
|align="right"|449,908
|align="right"|17.99%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1976 Finnish municipal elections|1976]]
|align="center"|3,936
|align="right"|494,423
|align="right"|18.43%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1980 Finnish municipal elections|1980]]
|align="center"|3,889
|align="right"|513,362
|align="right"|18.72%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1984 Finnish municipal elections|1984]]
|align="center"|4,052
|align="right"|545,034
|align="right"|20.21%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1988 Finnish municipal elections|1988]]
|align="center"|4,227
|align="right"|554,924
|align="right"|21.10%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1992 Finnish municipal elections|1992]]
|align="center"|3,998
|align="right"|511,954
|align="right"|19.22%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[1996 Finnish municipal elections|1996]]
|align="center"|4,459
|align="right"|518,305
|align="right"|21.81%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2000 Finnish municipal elections|2000]]
|align="center"|4,625
|align="right"|528,319
|align="right"|23.75%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2004 Finnish municipal elections|2004]]
|align="center"|4,425
|align="right"|543,885
|align="right"|22.77%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2008 Finnish municipal elections|2008]]
|align="center"|3,518
|align="right"|512,220
|align="right"|20.09%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2012 Finnish municipal elections|2012]]
|align="center"|3,077
|align="right"|465,167
|align="right"|18.66%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2017 Finnish municipal elections|2017]]
|align="center"|2,824
|align="right"|450,529
|align="right"|17.53%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2021 Finnish municipal elections|2021]]
|align="center"|2,445
|align="right"|363,364
|align="right"|14.9%
|-
|align="center" style="background:#efefef;"|[[2025 Finnish municipal elections|2025]]
|align="center"|2,623
|align="right"|396,630
|align="right"|16.4%
|}

=== European Parliament ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Election 
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/-
! EP Group
|-
! [[1996 European Parliament election in Finland|1996]]
| 548,041
| 24.36 (#1)
| {{composition bar|4|16|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| New
| rowspan=2 | [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|ELDR]]
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in Finland|1999]]
| 264,640
| 21.30 (#2)
| {{composition bar|4|16|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in Finland|2004]]
| 387,217
| 23.37 (#2)
| {{composition bar|4|14|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| rowspan=3 | [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]
|-
! [[2009 European Parliament election in Finland|2009]]
| 316,798
| 19.03 (#2)
| {{composition bar|3|13|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in Finland|2014]]
| 339,398
| 19.67 (#2)
| {{composition bar|3|13|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}} 
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2019 European Parliament election in Finland|2019]]
| 247,416
| 13.52 (#4)
| {{composition bar|2|13|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| rowspan=2 | [[Renew Europe|RE]]
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in Finland|2024]]
| 215,165
| 11.76 (#4)
| {{composition bar|2|15|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|}

=== Presidential elections ===

====Indirect elections====
{|class="wikitable"  style="text-align:left;"
|-
|colspan="16" style="text-align:center;" |[[Electoral college]]
|-
! rowspan=2| Election
! rowspan=2| Candidate
! colspan=3| Popular vote
! colspan=2| First ballot
! colspan=2| Second ballot
! colspan=2| Third ballot
! rowspan=2| Results
|-
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
! [[1919 Finnish presidential election|1919]]
| colspan=15 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
|-
! [[1925 Finnish presidential election|1925]]
| [[Lauri Kristian Relander]]
| 123,923
| 19.9
| {{composition bar|69|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|69|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 23.0 (#2)
| {{composition bar|97|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 32.3 (#2)
| {{composition bar|172|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 57.3 (#1)
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1931 Finnish presidential election|1931]]
| [[Kyösti Kallio]]
| 167,574
| 20.0
| {{composition bar|69|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|64|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 21.3 (#3)
| {{composition bar|53|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 17.7 (#3)
| colspan=2 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[1937 Finnish presidential election|1937]]
| [[Kyösti Kallio]]
| 184,668
| 16.6
| {{composition bar|56|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|56|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 18.7 (#3)
| {{composition bar|177|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 59.0 (#1)
| colspan=2 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1940 Finnish presidential election|1940]]
| colspan=12 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
|-
! [[1943 Finnish presidential election|1943]]
| [[Arvo Manner]]
| colspan=3 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{composition bar|1|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 0.3 (#5)
| colspan=5 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
|-
! [[1946 Finnish presidential election|1946]]
| colspan=12 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
|-
! [[1950 Finnish presidential election|1950]]
| [[Urho Kekkonen]]
| 338,035
| 21.4 
| {{composition bar|67|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|62|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 20.7 (#3)
| colspan=4 bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[1956 Finnish presidential election|1956]]
| [[Urho Kekkonen]]
| 510,783
| 26.9
| {{composition bar|88|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|88|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 29.3 (#1)
| {{composition bar|102|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 34.0 (#2)
| {{composition bar|151|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 50.3 (#1)
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1962 Finnish presidential election|1962]]
| [[Urho Kekkonen]]
| 698,199
| 31.7 
| {{composition bar|111|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|199|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 66.3 (#1)
| colspan="4" bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1968 Finnish presidential election|1968]]
| [[Urho Kekkonen]]
| 421,197
| 20.7 
| {{composition bar|65|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|201|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 67.0 (#1)
| colspan="4" bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1978 Finnish presidential election|1978]]
| [[Urho Kekkonen]]
| 475,372
| 19.4
| {{composition bar|64|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|259|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 86.3 (#1)
| colspan="4" bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{won}}
|-
! [[1982 Finnish presidential election|1982]]
| [[Johannes Virolainen]]
| 534,515
| 16.8
| {{composition bar|53|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|53|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 17.7 (#3)
| {{composition bar|53|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 17.7 (#3)
| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[1988 Finnish presidential election|1988]]{{refn|The 1988 presidential election was partially indirect. With no candidate achieving a majority of the popular vote, the president was elected by the electoral college which the voters voted for alongside the direct vote.|group=nb}}
| [[Paavo Väyrynen]]
| 636,375
| 20.6
| {{composition bar|68|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| {{composition bar|68|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 22.7 (#2)
| {{composition bar|68|300|hex={{party color|Centre Party (Finland)}}}}
| 22.7 (#2)
| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey"|
| {{lost}}
|}

====Direct elections====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! rowspan=2|Election
! rowspan=2|Candidate
! colspan=2|1st round
! colspan=2|2nd round
! rowspan=2|Result
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
! [[1994 Finnish presidential election|1994]]
| align="center"|Paavo Väyrynen
| 623,415
| 19.5
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[2000 Finnish presidential election|2000]]
| align="center"| [[Esko Aho]]
| 1,051,159
| 34.4
| 1,540,803
| 48.4
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[2006 Finnish presidential election|2006]]
| align="center"|[[Matti Vanhanen]]
| 561,990
| 18.6
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[2012 Finnish presidential election|2012]]
| align="center"|[[Paavo Väyrynen]]
| 536,731
| 17.5
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[2018 Finnish presidential election|2018]]
| align="center"|[[Matti Vanhanen]]
| 122,383
| 4.1
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;"|
| {{lost}}
|-
! [[2024 Finnish presidential election|2024]]
| align="center"|[[Olli Rehn]]{{efn|Formally ran as independent.}}
| 496,518
| 15.3
|  colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;"|
| {{lost}}
|}
{{Notelist}}

== See also ==
* [[Liberalism and centrism in Finland]]
* [[Nordic agrarian parties]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=nb}}
{{notelist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book|title=Demokratian haasteet 1907–1919, article in the book Kansanvalta koetuksella|last=Vares|first=Vesa|author-link=Vesa Vares|author2=Mikko Uola|author3=Mikko Majander|year=2006|publisher=Edita|location=Helsinki|isbn=9513745430}}
* {{cite book|title=Kuninkaan tekijät: Suomalainen monarkia 1917–1919. Myytti ja todellisuus|last=Vares|first=Vesa|author-link=Vesa Vares|year=1998|publisher=WSOY|location=Porvoo-Helsinki-Juva|isbn=9510232289}}

=== References ===
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://keskusta.fi/ Official website] {{in lang|fi}}
* [http://keskusta.fi/sv Centre Party: Swedish-speaking section] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105201357/http://www.svenskacentern.fi/ |date=5 January 2019 }} {{in lang|sv}}
* [https://keskusta.fi/en/ Website in English] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://keskustanuoret.fi/ Youth organisation’s official website] {{in lang|fi}}

{{Centre Party (Finland)}}
{{European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party}}
{{Renew Europe}}
{{Interlib}}
{{Finnish political parties}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Centre Party (Finland)]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1906]]
[[Category:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties]]
[[Category:Parties represented in the European Parliament]]
[[Category:Registered political parties in Finland]]
[[Category:Centrist parties in Finland]]
[[Category:Liberal parties in Finland]]
[[Category:Agrarian parties in Finland]]