Václav Klaus Jr.

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 has been a Member of the Chamber of Deputies (MP) since the legislative election in October 2017.

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

Václav Klaus Jr. MP
Leader of the Tricolour Citizens' Movement
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 June 2019
Preceded by	Position established
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 October 2017
Personal details
Born	(1969-09-10) 10 September 1969 Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic)
Political party	Tricolour (since 2019) ODS (2002–2008, 2016–2019)
Spouse(s)	Kamila Pojslová (1995–2010) Lucie Hřebáčková (2014–2017)
Children	Vojtěch Kateřina Jakub Eliška
Parents	Václav Klaus Livia Klausová
Alma mater	Charles University

He is the son of former Czech president Václav Klaus.

Early life and career

Klaus was born on 10 September 1969 to Václav Klaus and his wife Livia Klausová. He graduated from the Faculty of Science of Charles University in 1992.

He 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 at the time.[4]

Political career

Education adviser

In March 2014, Klaus became Chief Education Adviser to the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).[5] Klaus is highly critical of Minister of Education Kateřina Valachová, and opposed her changes to the roles of school headmasters. He also opposes inclusion,[6][7] and expressed support for a headmistress 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] Klaus won the first 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 ballot.[12]

He supports Czech withdrawal from the European Union and a strict immigration policy. He was suggested by some political commentators like Petr Honzejk and Martin Zvěřina as a possible future leader of the party, and possible rival to the incumbent leader, Petr Fiala,[13][14][15] but he was expelled on 16 March 2019, with party officials citing his controversial behaviour.[2]

He was elected a Member of the Chamber of Deputies and received over 20,000 preferential votes, the second highest total of all candidates.[16] He subsequently became the Chairman of the Education Committee.[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 in March 2019.[18] Zuzana Majerová-Zahradníková reacted to Klaus's expulsion by resigning from the party.[19]

Tricolour

Following his expulsion from ODS, Klaus Jr. 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]

Center for Civil Liberties

Main article: Center for Civil Liberties

In 2017, Klaus founded a think tank, the Center for Civil Liberties, focused on civil liberties, economic issues, and education.[22] Klaus said that his aim is for the institute to compete with the Václav Havel Library.[23]

Personal life

Klaus married his first wife Kamila Pojslová in 1995. They have three children.[24] He divorced Kamila in 2010 and married his second wife Lucie Hřebáčková in 2013.[25] They have a daughter, Eliška.[26] On 25 October 2017, Klaus announced a divorce from his second wife.[27] 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.[28]

Klaus has a congenital cosmetic defect on his face.[29]

References

1. "MF DNES: Václav Klaus mladší se po šesti letech vrací jako posila ODS". iDNES.cz. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
2. "ODS expels Klaus Jr. from party". Prague Monitor.
3. "Nejlepších výsledků ve státních maturitách dosáhlo Klausovo gymnázium". iDNES.cz. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
4. "Klaus ml. je poradcem ministra Dobeše. Chce snížit školní byrokracii | Domov". Lidovky.cz. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
5. "Klaus mladší bude poradcem Petra Fialy pro školství". Deník.cz (in Czech). 21 March 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
6. "Inkluze je zločin na dětech, říká Václav Klaus mladší". Deník.cz (in Czech). 9 December 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
7. "Václav Klaus ml. o školství pro Expres: Valachová je bílým koněm neomarxistů". Expres.cz. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
8. "Hidžáb ve škole. Studentka po zákazu žádá omluvu a odškodné". iDNES.cz. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
9. Nachtmann, Filip (19 January 2016). "Klaus mladší se vrací do ODS. Stane se jedním z volebních lídrů? - Echo24.cz" (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
10. "Václav Klaus mladší chce do politiky. Budu kandidovat ve volbách, říká | Domov". Lidovky.cz. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
11. "Klaus mladší míří do sněmovny. Získal první nominaci - Echo24.cz". Echo24 (in Czech). 25 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
12. "Pražskou kandidátku ODS povede Černochová, Klaus mladší je třetí - iDNES.cz". iDNES.cz. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
13. Honzejk, Petr (26 January 2017). "Václav Klaus mladší jede. Vyfoukne Petru Fialovi ODS?". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
14. "ZVĚŘINA: Prosecká dynastie. Klaus mladší spasitelem ODS nebude | Názory". Lidovky.cz. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
15. "Václav Klaus mladší může uspět, připouští šéf ODS. Má jméno i ostré názory - Seznam Zprávy". www.seznam.cz. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
16. "Nejvíc preferenčních hlasů: Babiš, Klaus ml. a Schwarzenberg". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 21 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
17. "Poslanci vybírají šéfy výborů, školský povede Klaus ml". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 29 November 2017.
18. "Klause vyloučili z ODS, zaniklo mu i členství v poslaneckém klubu". iDNES.cz. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
19. "Další odchod z ODS. Klause mladšího následuje jeho obhájkyně". eurozpravy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 14 September 2019.
20. "Klaus ml. zakládá novou stranu, bude v ní působit i exprezident. Víc po eurovolbách, slibuje". Lidovky.cz (in Czech). 10 April 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
21. "Přišel čas vzít si naši zemi zpátky, řekl Klaus. Představil hnutí Trikolóra". iDNES.cz. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
22. "Klaus ml. zakládá think-tank, který bude hájit občanské svobody". page-maintitle-short-default. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
23. "Klaus mladší zakládá nový institut, chce překonat Havla". TÝDEN.cz. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
24. "Václav Klaus mladší: S manželkou žijeme odděleně!". Blesk.cz. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
25. "Václav Klaus mladší se podruhé oženil, svatba proběhla v hotelu". iDNES.cz. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
26. "Klaus mladší je počtvrté tatínkem, druhá manželka porodila dceru". iDNES.cz. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
27. "Václav Klaus mladší se podruhé rozvádí". Echo24.cz (in Czech). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
28. "Ano, rozvádím se, potvrdil Václav Klaus mladší. Nebyl to politický kalkul". Expres.cz. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
29. "Livia Klausová: Zakázali mi otěhotnět!". Blesk.cz. Retrieved 27 January 2017.