Jirí Paroubek
Encyclopedia
Jiří Paroubek (ˈjɪr̝iː ˈparoʊ̯bɛk; born 21 August 1952) is a Czech
politician
, who served as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 25 April 2005 to 16 August 2006. He was also Chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party
(ČSSD), but resigned from his position immediately after the result of the 2010 Legislative Election
was announced on 29 May 2010. Although the Social Democrats became the largest party in the Czech parliament
after the election, Paroubek was not able to form a governing coalition.
. He entered politics in 1970 at the age of 18. That year he joined the Czechoslovak Socialist Party
, a member party of the Czechoslovak National Front
. He reached the lower levels of the party leadership before leaving the party in 1986.
He served his military service (one year) as an army food services supervisor in the southern Bohemian city of Prachatice
. After graduating in 1976, Paroubek worked as a manager for several state companies including the restaurants holding (Restaurace a jídelny).
Following the Velvet Revolution
in November 1989 Paroubek joined the refounded Czech Social Democratic Party. Then chairman Jiří Horák
awarded him an executive post. In 1993 he stood for chairmanship of the party but was defeated by Miloš Zeman
. In 2000, he placed fourth in elections to the Senate of the Czech Republic
in the Prague 8 district, ending up even behind the Communist
candidate. Paroubek served in high position in the municipal government of Prague
for over 14 years.
(ČSSD) congress was voted the new chairman by an uncontested 90%. The election campaign was highly contrastive, especially because of strong animosities between the ČSSD, the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and their respective party leaders.
The so called "Kubice Report" had an important impact on the elections and especially the post-elections talks. Jan Kubice was a high police officer for investigation of organized crimes. His report accused Paroubek of contacts within the criminal underground. The report was initially classified and was presented to the proper commission of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament, but was made public four days before polls. No information from this report has been proven. The publication of the report caused Paroubek to make a strong statement immediately after the elections. He stated "ODS did not abhor breaking many laws and made it on purpose four days before the elections to avoid establishing of this evident and repeated breaking of legal order. (...) I feel a duty to announce that democracy in this country incurred a hard intervention comparable maybe only with February 1948. Only with the difference that a blue totalitarianism looms." Paroubek later publicly apologized for these comments.
Although the ČSSD's results in the pre-election polls were at just 10% when Stanislav Gross resigned as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the ČSSD received 32.3% in the elections and finished runner-up to the ODS.
On 9 September Paroubek released a document claiming it showed that the ODS planned to discredit him. Paroubek refused to name the source of this paper.
On 7 October 2011, Paroubek left the ČSSD and in the same month founded the National Socialists – 21st Century Left
.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
politician
Politics of the Czech Republic
Politically, the Czech Republic is a multi-party parliamentary representative democratic republic. According to the Constitution of the Czech Republic, the President is the head of state while the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising supreme executive power...
, who served as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 25 April 2005 to 16 August 2006. He was also Chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party
Czech Social Democratic Party
The Czech Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Czech Republic.-History:The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria was founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary representing the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament...
(ČSSD), but resigned from his position immediately after the result of the 2010 Legislative Election
Czech legislative election, 2010
A legislative election in the Czech Republic took place on 28–29 May 2010. The election had been expected to take place some time before the end of 2009 to elect the members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic...
was announced on 29 May 2010. Although the Social Democrats became the largest party in the Czech parliament
Parliament of the Czech Republic
The Parliament of the Czech Republic is the legislative body of the Czech Republic, based in Prague. It consists of two chambers, both elected in direct elections:* the Lower House: Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic...
after the election, Paroubek was not able to form a governing coalition.
Early life and career
Paroubek was born in OlomoucOlomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
. He entered politics in 1970 at the age of 18. That year he joined the Czechoslovak Socialist Party
Czech National Social Party
Czech National Social Party was a civic nationalist political party established in 1898 within the Young Czech Party as a nominally socialist group with a stress on achieving Czech independence from Austria–Hungary Czech National Social Party (Czech: Česká strana národně sociální) was a civic...
, a member party of the Czechoslovak National Front
National Front (Czechoslovakia)
The National Front was the coalition of parties which headed the re-established Czechoslovakian government from 1945 to 1948. During the Communist era in Czechoslovakia it was the vehicle for control of all political and social activity by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia...
. He reached the lower levels of the party leadership before leaving the party in 1986.
He served his military service (one year) as an army food services supervisor in the southern Bohemian city of Prachatice
Prachatice
Prachatice is a town in the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic.-History:The town of Prachatice has its origins in the 11th century, following the beginning of trade on the "Golden Path"...
. After graduating in 1976, Paroubek worked as a manager for several state companies including the restaurants holding (Restaurace a jídelny).
Following the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
in November 1989 Paroubek joined the refounded Czech Social Democratic Party. Then chairman Jiří Horák
Jirí Horák
Jiří Horák was a Czechoslovak politician. He was the first chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party after the Velvet Revolution in 1989....
awarded him an executive post. In 1993 he stood for chairmanship of the party but was defeated by Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman is a well-known Czech politician. He was a member and leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party, former speaker of the chamber of deputies from 1996 until 1998, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1998 until 2002. He was a frequent rival of Václav Klaus...
. In 2000, he placed fourth in elections to the Senate of the Czech Republic
Senate of the Czech Republic
The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic , usually referred to as Senát, is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the Czech Republic...
in the Prague 8 district, ending up even behind the Communist
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia , abbreviated to KSČM, is a political party in the Czech Republic. It has a membership of 82,994 and is a member party of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left bloc in the European Parliament...
candidate. Paroubek served in high position in the municipal government of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
for over 14 years.
Role in the Czech legislative election, 2006
Paroubek was selected as socialist election leader for 2006 and in the mid-May Czech Social Democratic PartyCzech Social Democratic Party
The Czech Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Czech Republic.-History:The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria was founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary representing the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament...
(ČSSD) congress was voted the new chairman by an uncontested 90%. The election campaign was highly contrastive, especially because of strong animosities between the ČSSD, the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and their respective party leaders.
The so called "Kubice Report" had an important impact on the elections and especially the post-elections talks. Jan Kubice was a high police officer for investigation of organized crimes. His report accused Paroubek of contacts within the criminal underground. The report was initially classified and was presented to the proper commission of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament, but was made public four days before polls. No information from this report has been proven. The publication of the report caused Paroubek to make a strong statement immediately after the elections. He stated "ODS did not abhor breaking many laws and made it on purpose four days before the elections to avoid establishing of this evident and repeated breaking of legal order. (...) I feel a duty to announce that democracy in this country incurred a hard intervention comparable maybe only with February 1948. Only with the difference that a blue totalitarianism looms." Paroubek later publicly apologized for these comments.
Although the ČSSD's results in the pre-election polls were at just 10% when Stanislav Gross resigned as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the ČSSD received 32.3% in the elections and finished runner-up to the ODS.
On 9 September Paroubek released a document claiming it showed that the ODS planned to discredit him. Paroubek refused to name the source of this paper.
On 7 October 2011, Paroubek left the ČSSD and in the same month founded the National Socialists – 21st Century Left
National Socialists – 21st Century Left
The National Socialists – 21st Century Left also known as Left 21 is a centre-left political party in the Czech Republic founded in October 2011 by Jiří Paroubek, former Prime Minister and former leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party...
.
External links
- http://www.paroubek.cz – personal website
- Pre-election profile at Radio PragueRadio PragueRadio Prague is the official international broadcasting station of the Czech Republic.Radio Prague broadcasts in six languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Czech and Russian. It broadcasts programmes about the Czech Republic on shortwave, satellite and on the Internet...
website, together with Mirek TopolánekMirek TopolánekMirek Topolánek is a former prime minister of the Czech Republic and former President of the European Council. A member of the Civic Democratic Party, he was chairman of the center-right party between November 2002 and March 2010, succeeding Václav Klaus, who was elected President in 2003.On 24... - Controversial post-election speech (video)