Jan Zahradil

Jan Zahradil
MEP
Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists
In office
8 March 2011 – 14 December 2011
Preceded by Michał Kamiński
Succeeded by Martin Callanan
Member of the European Parliament for Czech Republic
Assumed office
1 May 2004
Member of Parliament for Prague
In office
20 June 1998 – 20 July 2004
Personal details
Born (1963-03-30) 30 March 1963
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Nationality Czech
Political party National:
Civic Democratic Party
European:
Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists
Alma mater Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague
Profession Scientist
Website http://zahradil.eu

Jan Zahradil MEP (born 30 March 1963) is a Czech politician for the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since the Czech Republic entered the European Union in 2004. Zahradil also served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Prague from 1998 to 2004.

A scientific researcher by profession, Zahradil entered politics during the Velvet Revolution. He was a member of the Federal Assembly of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, before becoming an adviser to Prime Minister Václav Klaus. In 1998, he was elected to the national Chamber of Deputies. Three years later, he became Vice-Chairman of the ODS. Following an unsuccessful attempt to become Chairman in 2002, he was appointed First Vice-Chairman.

He was appointed an MEP on the Czech Republic's accession to the EU, in May 2004, and was elected at the top of the ODS's list at the June 2004 election. He was elected head of the Civic Democrats' delegation in the European Parliament, in which capacity he led the negotiations that founded the European Conservatives and Reformists. He was re-elected in 2009, and became Vice-Chairman of the newly founded ECR. In March 2011, Zahradil was elected Chairman, replacing Michał Kamiński. He also sits on the Parliament's Committee on Development.

Background

Early life

Zahradil was educated at the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, and after graduating in 1987, he became a scientific researcher until 1992. He speaks Czech, Slovak, English, Russian, German and Polish. He is married and has two children.

Domestic politics

From 1990 until 1992, Zahradil was a Member of the Federal Assembly of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. From 1995 until 1997 Zahradil was a foreign policy adviser to the Prime Minister, Václav Klaus. In 1998, Zahradil was elected as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic,[1] and held that position until 2004.

In 2001, he was elected a Vice-Chairman of the ODS, and between 2002 and 2004, was the First Vice-Chairman.

European Parliament

In 2004, he was elected a Member of the European Parliament, and was the Chairman of the ODS in the European Parliament. Between 2004 and 2009, ODS MEPs sat with the EPP-ED grouping in the European Parliament, but after the 2009 elections, several members of the EPP-ED left to join the newly formed European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) grouping, which was based on the Movement for European Reform, an alliance between ODS and the British Conservative Party. In his capacity as Chairman of ODS in the European Parliament, Zahradil reportedly led negotiations in forming the new group.

He was elected Vice Chairman of the ECR, sitting on the group's Executive. In March 2011, he was elected to replace Michał Kamiński as chairman of the group, defeating Timothy Kirkhope by 33 votes to 18.

Political views

Viewed as being an ideological protégé of former Czech President Václav Klaus, Jan Zahradil is a strong eurosceptic and sceptic on the issue of climate change. He actively promoted The Great Global Warming Swindle and warns against expensive actions that would bring no results. He has been described as Anglophile, Atlanticist and libertarian, and holds liberal viewpoints on immigration and gay marriage.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.psp.cz/cgi-bin/eng
  2. ↑ Jay-Z is a fine politician and a fine man: a free-marketeer, a soft Eurosceptic, a flinty Czech patriot who is also a committed Anglophile and Atlanticist.
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Party political offices
Preceded by
Michał Kamiński		 Chairman European Conservatives and Reformists
2011– 		Incumbent
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