| Office: | Leader of Social Democratic Party |
| Term Start: | 1930 |
| Term End: | 31 August 1942 |
| Predecessor: | Matti Paasivuori |
| Birth Date: | 5 September 1885 |
| Birth Place: | Ruovesi |
| Death Place: | Helsinki |
| Occupation: | Journalist |
| Party: | Social Democratic Party |
Kaarlo Harvala (1885–1942) was a Finnish journalist and politician who was among the chairmen of the Social Democratic Party. He held the post between 1930 and 1942. He was also a member of the Parliament of Finland.
Harvala was born in Ruovesi on 5 September 1885.[1] He was the secretary of the Union of Finnish Landlords in Tampere between 1912 and 1918.[1] He was arrested in 1918 due to his political views.[1] Following his release from prison he worked as an editor-in-chief of Kansan Sana newspaper and Kansan magazine in Tampere.[1] Then he became the editor of Sosialist newspaper in Turku in 1919 and remained in the post until 1923.
He became a member of the Parliament on 5 September 1922 and served there until 31 August 1939.[2] In 1930 he was elected as the leader of Social Democratic Party, replacing Matti Paasivuori in the post.[3] Harvala remained in the post until his death in Helsinki on 31 August 1942.[1] [3]