قاد ميكيلين المقاومة السلبية في فنلندا خلال الفترة الأولى من القمع (1899-1905) إلى و حتى بعد نفيه (1903) ، اضطر المسؤولون للسماح له بالعودة بوصفه عضواً في البرلمان (1904) ، رحب بعودته حشد محتفل من 10000 شخص.
Mechelin led the passive resistance in Finland during the first period of oppression (1899–1905) until and even after his banishment (1903), from which officials had to let him return as a member of parliament (House of Nobles) 1904, welcomed by a celebrating crowd of ten thousand people.