Václav Klaus Jr.

Not to be confused with his father and former President, Václav Klaus.

Václav Klaus Jr.
Leader of the Tricolour Citizens' Movement
In office
25 June 2019 – 24 March 2021
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byZuzana Majerová
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
21 October 2017 – 21 October 2021
Personal details
Born (1969-09-10) 10 September 1969 (age 55)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Political partyTrikolóra (2019–present)
Other political
affiliations		ODS (2002–2019)
Spouse(s)
Kamila Pojslová
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 2010)​

Lucie Hřebáčková
​
​
(m. 2014; div. 2017)​
Children4
Parent(s)Václav Klaus
Livia Klausová
Alma materCharles University

Václav Klaus Jr. (Czech: Václav Klaus ml. or mladší, Czech pronunciation: [ˈvaːtslaf ˈklaus (ˈmlat.ʃiː)]; born 10 September 1969) is a Czech teacher and politician. He was a member of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) until his expulsion in March 2019.[1][2] Klaus was a Member of the Chamber of Deputies (MP) from 2017 to 2021. He is the son of former Czech president Václav Klaus.

Early life and career

Klaus became Headmaster of PORG Grammar School in 1998. During his tenure, the school had the best results in the country in 2011 state graduation exams.[3] He left the school in 2014. He was also an adviser to Education Minister Josef Dobeš (politician) at the time.[4]

Political career

Education adviser to ODS

In March 2014, Klaus became chief education adviser to the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).[5] He was highly critical of Minister of Education Kateřina Valachová, and opposed her changes to the roles of school headmasters. He also opposed inclusion,[6][7] and expressed support for a headteacher who banned the wearing of hijabs in her school.[8]

2017 legislative election

Klaus rejoined ODS in January 2016, having previously been a member from 2002 to 2008.[9]

On 26 September 2016, Klaus announced his intention to participate in the 2017 legislative election.[10] He won the nomination on 26 January 2017, supported by the Prague 6 ODS organisation.[11] He participated in the legislative election in Prague, where he was third on the ODS candidate list,[12] and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies with over 20,000 preferential votes, the second most of all candidates.[13] He subsequently became the chair of the Education Committee.[14]

Although he was suggested by some political commentators – including Petr Honzejk and Martin Zvěřina – as a potential future leader of the party, and possible rival to the incumbent leader, Petr Fiala,[15][16][17] Klaus Jr. became involved in conflicts with the party leadership following his election to the Chamber of Deputies due to his controversial statements and his support for Ladislav Jakl during the 2018 Senate election. This resulted in his expulsion from the party on 16 March 2019.[2][18] Zuzana Majerová also resigned from the party in response to Klaus's expulsion.[19]

Tricolour

Following his expulsion from ODS, Klaus announced that he would found a new party.[20] He introduced the party, the Tricolour Citizens' Movement, at a press conference on 10 June 2019.[21] In March 2021, Klaus Jr. announced his resignation from all political functions for personal reasons.[22]

Center for Civil Liberties

Main article: Center for Civil Liberties (think tank)

In 2017, Klaus founded a think tank, the Center for Civil Liberties, focused on civil liberties, economic issues, and education.[23] Klaus said that his aim is for the institute to compete with the Václav Havel Library.[24]

Personal life

Klaus married his first wife Kamila Pojslová in 1995, with whom he had three children.[25] The couple divorced in 2010, and Klaus married his second wife Lucie Hřebáčková in 2013.[26] They have a daughter named Eliška.[27] On 25 October 2017, Klaus announced a divorce from his second wife.[28] The announcement came only five days after he was elected to parliament, which led to speculation that the divorce was caused by his political activities.[29] Klaus has a congenital cosmetic defect on his face.[30]

References

  1. ^ Dolejší, Václav (21 March 2014). "Václav Klaus mladší se po šesti letech vrací jako posila ODS". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "ODS expels Klaus Jr. from party". Prague Monitor. 18 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019.
  3. ^ Procházková, Martina; Válková, Hana; Šťastný, Jiří (23 June 2011). "Nejlepších výsledků ve státních maturitách dosáhlo Klausovo gymnázium". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  4. ^ Kubálková, Pavla; Pálková, Šárka (10 September 2010). "Klaus ml. je poradcem ministra Dobeše. Chce snížit školní byrokracii". Lidové noviny (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Klaus mladší bude poradcem Petra Fialy pro školství". Deník (in Czech). 21 March 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  6. ^ Saadouni, Štěpánka (9 December 2016). "Inkluze je zločin na dětech, říká Václav Klaus mladší". Deník.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Václav Klaus ml. o školství pro Expres: Valachová je bílým koněm neomarxistů". Expres.cz (in Czech). 30 June 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  8. ^ Kotalík, Jakub (2 November 2016). "Hidžáb ve škole. Studentka po zákazu žádá omluvu a odškodné". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  9. ^ Nachtmann, Filip (19 January 2016). "Klaus mladší se vrací do ODS. Stane se jedním z volebních lídrů?". Echo24 (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Václav Klaus mladší chce do politiky. Budu kandidovat ve volbách, říká". Lidové noviny (in Czech). 26 September 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Klaus mladší míří do sněmovny. Získal první nominaci". Echo24 (in Czech). 25 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Pražskou kandidátku ODS povede Černochová, Klaus mladší je třetí". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). 27 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Nejvíc preferenčních hlasů: Babiš, Klaus ml. a Schwarzenberg". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 21 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Poslanci vybírají šéfy výborů, školský povede Klaus ml". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 29 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  15. ^ Honzejk, Petr (26 January 2017). "Václav Klaus mladší jede. Vyfoukne Petru Fialovi ODS?". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Zvěřina: Prosecká dynastie. Klaus mladší spasitelem ODS nebude". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  17. ^ Šídlo, Jindřich (18 December 2016). "Václav Klaus mladší může uspět, připouští šéf ODS. Má jméno i ostré názory". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  18. ^ Kopecký, Josef (16 March 2019). "Klause vyloučili z ODS, zaniklo mu i členství v poslaneckém klubu". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  19. ^ "Další odchod z ODS. Klause mladšího následuje jeho obhájkyně". Euro Zprávy (in Czech). 17 April 2019. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Klaus ml. zakládá novou stranu, bude v ní působit i exprezident. Víc po eurovolbách, slibuje". Lidové noviny (in Czech). 10 April 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  21. ^ "Přišel čas vzít si naši zemi zpátky, řekl Klaus. Představil hnutí Trikolóra". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). 10 April 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  22. ^ "Václav Klaus ml. končí v politice". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Klaus ml. zakládá think-tank, který bude hájit občanské svobody". Parlamentní listy (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  24. ^ Nachtmann, Filip; Kolář, Petr (6 January 2017). "Klaus mladší zakládá nový institut, chce překonat Havla". Týden (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  25. ^ "Václav Klaus mladší: S manželkou žijeme odděleně!". Blesk (in Czech). Czech News Center. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  26. ^ Hořejší, Nela (25 February 2013). "Václav Klaus mladší se podruhé oženil, svatba proběhla v hotelu". Mladá fronta Dnes. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  27. ^ Zárodňanský, Rastislav (9 August 2013). "Klaus mladší je počtvrté tatínkem, druhá manželka porodila dceru". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  28. ^ "Václav Klaus mladší se podruhé rozvádí". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 25 October 2017.
  29. ^ "Ano, rozvádím se, potvrdil Václav Klaus mladší. Nebyl to politický kalkul". Expres.cz (in Czech). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  30. ^ "Livia Klausová: Zakázali mi otěhotnět!". Blesk (in Czech). 4 December 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2017.