Jerzy Buzek
Encyclopedia
Jerzy Karol Buzek AUD (born 3 July 1940) is a Polish engineer
, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland
from 1997 to 2001. He has been a member of the European Parliament
since 13 June 2004, and he was elected as President of the European Parliament
on 14 July 2009, succeeding Hans-Gert Pöttering
.
family on 3 July 1940 in what is now Smilovice
in the Czech Republic. He was born into the prominent Buzek family, which participated in Polish politics in the Second Polish Republic
during the interbellum. The family was part of the Polish community in Zaolzie. Buzek's father was an engineer. After the Second World War, his family moved to Chorzów
. He is a Protestant.
, specialising in chemical engineering
. He became a scientist in the Chemical Engineering Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences
. Since 1997 he has been a professor of technical science. He is also an honorary doctor of the universities in Seoul
and Dortmund
.
From 1997 to 2001, Buzek was a coalition Prime Minister of Poland.
In 1998 he became the first laureate of the Grzegorz Palka Award and was nominated European of the Year by the European Union Business Chambers Forum.
In 1998 he was named Człowiek Roku i.e. Person of the Year by the influential Polish political weekly Wprost
. He won the award for a second time in 2009. On receiving the award again, as President of the European Parliament, he stressed that he was the first winner to be honoured for his work beyond the borders of Poland.
He was the first Prime Minister of the 3rd Republic of Poland to serve a full term.
After losing the parliamentary elections in 2001, he stepped back from political life and focused more on his scientific work, becoming the prorector of Akademia Polonijna in Częstochowa
and professor in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Opole University of Technology
in Opole
.
His return to political life in 2004 saw him gain the largest popular vote in Poland as the member for Katowice
to the European Parliament
standing for the Platforma Obywatelska.
Whilst President of the European Parliament
, on 30 March 2011, he was awarded an honorary fellowship of the IChemE at a meeting of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering
(EFCE) in Brussels
, Belgium.
. He was an active organiser of the trade union's regional and national underground authorities. He was also the chairman of the four national general meetings (1st, 4th, 5th and 6th) when the Solidarity movement was allowed to participate in the political process again.
Jerzy Buzek was a member of the Solidarity Electoral Action (Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność, AWS) and co-author of the AWS's economic program. After the 1997 elections
he was elected to the Sejm
, the lower house of the Polish Parliament, and was soon appointed Prime Minister of Poland. In 1999 he became the chairman of the AWS Social Movement (Ruch Społeczny AWS) and in 2001 he became the Chairman of the Solidarity Electoral Action coalition.
minority government. His cabinet's major achievements were four significant political and economic reforms: a new local government and administration division of Poland, reform of the pension system, reform of the educational system, and reform of the medical care system. AWS was defeated in the Polish parliamentary election, 2001
. Buzek resigned as the chairman of AWS Social Movement, and was replaced by Mieczysław Janowski.
, Jerzy Buzek was elected a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) from the Silesian Voivodeship
, basing his candidacy only on the popularity of his name and on direct contact with the voters. He received a record number of votes, 173,389 (22.14% of the total votes in the region). His current party affiliation is with the Platforma Obywatelska, the governing party in Poland, which is a member of the European People's Party
.
In the 2004–2009 European Parliament, he was a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
, an alternate member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
, a member of the Delegation to the EU–Ukraine
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and an alternate delegate for the delegation for relations with the countries of Central America. He served as rapporteur on the EU's 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development, a multi-billion euro spending programme for the years 2007–2013.
On 7 June 2009, in the European Parliament election, 2009
, Buzek was re-elected as a Member of the European Parliament
from the Silesian Voivodeship
constituency. Just as in the previous election, Buzek received a record number of votes in Poland: 393,117 (over 42% of the total votes in the district).
with 555 votes of the 644 votes cast, the largest majority ever, becoming the first person from the former Eastern Bloc
and the first former Prime Minister since Emilio Colombo
to gain that position. He succeeded the German Christian Democrat
MEP, Hans-Gert Pöttering
. He has pledged to make human rights and the promotion of the Eastern partnership two of his priorities during his term of office, which will last two and a half years until, due to a political deal, Social Democrat MEP Martin Schulz
will take over.
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Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland
Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
The Prime Minister of Poland heads the Polish Council of Ministers and directs their work, supervises territorial self-government within the guidelines and in ways described in the Constitution and other legislation, and acts as the superior for all government administration workers...
from 1997 to 2001. He has been a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
since 13 June 2004, and he was elected as President of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
on 14 July 2009, succeeding Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering is a German conservative politician , and was the President of the European Parliament from January 2007 to July 2009...
.
Early years
Jerzy Karol Buzek was born to a LutheranLutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
family on 3 July 1940 in what is now Smilovice
Smilovice (Frýdek-Místek District)
is a village in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, on the Ropičanka River. It has a population of 581 , Poles constitute 26.4% of the population. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia...
in the Czech Republic. He was born into the prominent Buzek family, which participated in Polish politics in the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
during the interbellum. The family was part of the Polish community in Zaolzie. Buzek's father was an engineer. After the Second World War, his family moved to Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
. He is a Protestant.
Professional career
In 1963 Jerzy Buzek graduated from the Mechanics-and-Energy Division of the Silesian University of TechnologySilesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology is a university located in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. It was founded in 1945 by Polish professors of the Lwow Polytechnic, who were forced to leave their native city and move to the Recovered Territories .The Silesian University of Technology has 12...
, specialising in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
. He became a scientist in the Chemical Engineering Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
. Since 1997 he has been a professor of technical science. He is also an honorary doctor of the universities in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
.
From 1997 to 2001, Buzek was a coalition Prime Minister of Poland.
In 1998 he became the first laureate of the Grzegorz Palka Award and was nominated European of the Year by the European Union Business Chambers Forum.
In 1998 he was named Człowiek Roku i.e. Person of the Year by the influential Polish political weekly Wprost
Wprost
Wprost is a weekly newsmagazine in Poland. It was founded on December 5, 1982 as a regional magazine in Greater Poland, but since 1989 it has been distributed nationwide. The editorial office is currently located in Warsaw. Wprost is an opinion weekly focused on politics and society. Marek Król is...
. He won the award for a second time in 2009. On receiving the award again, as President of the European Parliament, he stressed that he was the first winner to be honoured for his work beyond the borders of Poland.
He was the first Prime Minister of the 3rd Republic of Poland to serve a full term.
After losing the parliamentary elections in 2001, he stepped back from political life and focused more on his scientific work, becoming the prorector of Akademia Polonijna in Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
and professor in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Opole University of Technology
Opole University of Technology
Opole University of Technology is a university located in Opole, Poland....
in Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
.
His return to political life in 2004 saw him gain the largest popular vote in Poland as the member for Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
standing for the Platforma Obywatelska.
Whilst President of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
, on 30 March 2011, he was awarded an honorary fellowship of the IChemE at a meeting of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering
European Federation of Chemical Engineering
The European Federation of Chemical Engineering . Also known as: Fédération Européenne du Génie Chimique and Europäische Föderation für Chemie-Ingenieur-Wesen. An association of professional societies in Europe concerned with chemical engineering.It was formed in Paris on 20 June 1953 with 18...
(EFCE) in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium.
Political career
In the 1980s, Buzek was an activist of the democratic anti-communist movements, including the legal (1980–1981 and since 1989) and underground (1981–1989) Solidarity trade union and political movement in communist PolandPeople's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
. He was an active organiser of the trade union's regional and national underground authorities. He was also the chairman of the four national general meetings (1st, 4th, 5th and 6th) when the Solidarity movement was allowed to participate in the political process again.
Jerzy Buzek was a member of the Solidarity Electoral Action (Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność, AWS) and co-author of the AWS's economic program. After the 1997 elections
Polish parliamentary election, 1997
The Polish parliamentary election in 1997 to the Sejm and Senate of Poland was held on the 21 September. In the Sejm elections, 47.93% of citizens cast their votes, 96.12% of which were counted as valid...
he was elected to the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
, the lower house of the Polish Parliament, and was soon appointed Prime Minister of Poland. In 1999 he became the chairman of the AWS Social Movement (Ruch Społeczny AWS) and in 2001 he became the Chairman of the Solidarity Electoral Action coalition.
Jerzy Buzek's government
Between the years 1997–2001 he was the Prime Minister of Poland, first of the right-centrist AWS–UW coalition government until 2001, and then of the rightist AWSSolidarity Electoral Action
Solidarity Electoral Action was a political party coalition in Poland. Since 1997 its official name has been Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność Prawicy or Solidarity Electoral Action of the Right...
minority government. His cabinet's major achievements were four significant political and economic reforms: a new local government and administration division of Poland, reform of the pension system, reform of the educational system, and reform of the medical care system. AWS was defeated in the Polish parliamentary election, 2001
Polish parliamentary election, 2001
Polish parliamentary election in 2001 to Sejm and Senate of Poland were held on the 23rd September. In Sejm elections, 46.29% of citizens cast their votes, 96.01% of those were counted as valid...
. Buzek resigned as the chairman of AWS Social Movement, and was replaced by Mieczysław Janowski.
Polish Member of the European Parliament
On 13 June 2004, in the European Parliament election, 2004European Parliament election, 2004 (Poland)
Elections to the European Parliament were held in Poland on 13 June 2004. 20.87% of eligible citizens voted; of these, 97.33% of the votes cast were valid. The elections resulted in a heavy defeat for the governing Alliance of the Democratic Left and Labor Union parties, although the very low...
, Jerzy Buzek was elected a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) from the Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian (European Parliament constituency)
In European elections, Silesian is a constituency of the European Parliament. It consists of the Silesian Voivodeship.- Nomenclature :The relevant Polish legislation establishing the constituencies does not give the constituencies formal names...
, basing his candidacy only on the popularity of his name and on direct contact with the voters. He received a record number of votes, 173,389 (22.14% of the total votes in the region). His current party affiliation is with the Platforma Obywatelska, the governing party in Poland, which is a member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
.
In the 2004–2009 European Parliament, he was a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy is a committee of the European Parliament. Its areas of responsibility relate to industry, especially technology-intensive manufacturing, information technology, and telecommunications. It also coordinates European space policy, and as such, has ties...
, an alternate member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety is a committee of the European Parliament. It has 68 members and a secretariat of 10 administrators. Its chairman is...
, a member of the Delegation to the EU–Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and an alternate delegate for the delegation for relations with the countries of Central America. He served as rapporteur on the EU's 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development, a multi-billion euro spending programme for the years 2007–2013.
On 7 June 2009, in the European Parliament election, 2009
European Parliament election, 2009 (Poland)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Poland was the election of the delegation from Poland to the European Parliament in 2009 which took place on 7 June 2009. On 13 February the Sejm accepted a proposal for an amendment to the electoral court act to allow voting for the European Parliament...
, Buzek was re-elected as a Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from the Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...
constituency. Just as in the previous election, Buzek received a record number of votes in Poland: 393,117 (over 42% of the total votes in the district).
President of the European Parliament
On 14 July 2009, Buzek was elected President of the European ParliamentPresident of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
with 555 votes of the 644 votes cast, the largest majority ever, becoming the first person from the former Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
and the first former Prime Minister since Emilio Colombo
Emilio Colombo
Emilio Colombo is an Italian politician who was Prime Minister of Italy from 1970 to 1972. In addition to having held top positions in Italian governments, he was also active in European politics.-Biography:...
to gain that position. He succeeded the German Christian Democrat
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
MEP, Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering is a German conservative politician , and was the President of the European Parliament from January 2007 to July 2009...
. He has pledged to make human rights and the promotion of the Eastern partnership two of his priorities during his term of office, which will last two and a half years until, due to a political deal, Social Democrat MEP Martin Schulz
Martin Schulz
Martin Schulz is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, since 2004 leader of the Socialists in the European Parliament .-Career:* 1975-1977: Apprentice...
will take over.
Education
- from 1997 to 2001: Professor of technical sciences, actively engaged in public work, Prime Minister of Poland
- Honorary doctorates of the Universities of Dortmund, Seoul, Süleyman Demirel University (Isparta)
- University lecturer of long standing at Opole, Gliwice and Częstochowa, researcher at the Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in GliwiceGliwiceGliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
- 1972: Research stay, on a British CouncilBritish CouncilThe British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
scholarship, at the University of Cambridge
Career
- 1992–1997: Representative of Poland at the International Energy Agency – Programme of Greenhouse Gas Effect
- 1996: Organiser and chairman of an international network of 19 institutions working on energy and environmental protection
- Author of some 200 research papers, over a dozen rationalisations and three patents in the fields of environmental protection, power and process engineering
- 1981: Member of the independent, self-governing trade union 'NSZZ Solidarność', Chairman of the I National Congress of Delegates of 'Solidarność' in
- 1981: Active in the Solidarność underground structure after
- 1997: Elected as a Member of the Polish Parliament in
- As Prime Minister, in 1999, took Poland into NATO and prepared the country for integration into the European Union (including decentralisation of the State – consolidation of the role of local self-government)
- In 1998, began accession negotiations
- 1999: Represented the Social Movement of Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) in the PPE–DE
- 1999: Established the annual Pro Publico Bono prize for the best national civic initiatives
- Set up the Family Foundation together with his wife (1998), having gained greater understanding of the meaning of help for the needy after their experiences with the battle for the life of their own child
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