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 MinisterVáclav Klaus. In 1998, Zahradil was elected to the national Chamber of Deputies. Three years later, he became vice-chairman of the ODS.From his election to the Chamber of Deputies until 2006, Zahradil was the ODS shadow minister for Foreign Affairs.
Zahradil was elected vice-chairman of ODS in 2001 and served as first vice-chairman between 2002 and 2004. In 2002 after the departure of Václav Klaus from the head of ODS, he applied for the post of the chairman of the ODS, but finished third in the election behind Mirek Topolánek and Petr Nečas.[3] He was also vice-chairman of the ODS from 2014 to 2016.[4]
Jan Zahradil with the other candidates for President of the European Commission, 2019
In 2023, Zahradil resigned from the position of chairman of the ODS MEP club. At the same time, he announced that he will no longer be a candidate in the European Parliament elections in 2024.[7][8] He was replaced by MEP Veronika Vrecionová as chairman of the ODS MEPs' club, MEP and several-time former Czech minister Alexandr Vondra became the leader of the ODS for the 2024 European Parliament elections.[9]
One of the reasons for Jan Zahradil's departure from European politics was probably the connection of his ODS with other Czech center-right parties, TOP 09 and KDU-ČSL in the SPOLU coalition. Jan Zahradil was an obstacle to this connection with his Eurosceptic views.[10]
Azerbaijan Statements
Jan Zahradil with the chairman of the ODS and later Prime Minister Petr Fiala
Zahradil made controversial statements whitewashing European Parliament's criticisms on the state of human rights in Azerbaijan, mentioned in three European Parliament resolutions in the period of 2015–2018. He called the resolutions "short-sighted, one-sided, one-issue resolutions"[11] and argued that Azerbaijan is a "victim of political games" asserting that the EU should not sacrifice its partnership with Azerbaijan because of its geopolitical and energy significance for Europe.[12]
In April 2018 a Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe investigation revealed that Azerbaijan blindfolded several members of PACE, bringing into play the infamous caviar diplomacy to tone down and soothe criticism towards Azerbaijan. These members were subjected to sanctions.[13] Commenting on these events, Zahradil said: "The Council of Europe has made unilateral and biased decisions on Azerbaijan and it should be abolished".[14]
Political views
Zahradil has been described as Anglophile, Atlanticist, national liberal and libertarian who holds liberal viewpoints on immigration and same-sex marriage.[15] He is a critic of the Czech monarchists and the Habsburg dynastic family, which ruled the Czech state from 1526 to 1918, because of which in the past he got into a dispute with the Czech Christian Democrats and the Czech Catholic Church.[16][17] In the post-Babiš premiership era of ODS, his views (e.g. on the European Union, on cooperation with former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš or on the overall concept of politics) can be described as minority, which may be one of the reasons for his planned departure from the European Parliament.[18]
.jpg)
