Marek Migalski
Encyclopedia
Dr Marek Henryk Migalski (born 14 January 1969 in Racibórz
) is a Polish politician, Member of the European Parliament
, political scientist
, and columnist
. A member of Poland Comes First
(PjN), Migalski was elected to the European Parliament
at the 2009 election
for Law and Justice
(PiS). He never joined the party, and his open criticism of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński led to his expulsion from the party's group and the creation of the more moderate PjN in late 2010.
before studying political science at the University of Silesia
, graduating in 1999. In that year, he was appointed deputy director of Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia
, while earning his doctorate from the University of Silesia, which he was granted in 2001 for his thesis A Bridge Between East and West: Edvard Beneš – An Attempt to Preserve the Independence of Czechoslovakia in 1945-1948. He taught at the University of Silesia in Katowice
, as well as the Humanitas Academy in Sosnowiec
.
As a political scientist, Migalski was well-known for his conservative
views, as well as the accuracy of his predictions. In 2009
, he ran for the European Parliament
for Law and Justice
, in the Silesian constituency
. He was elected, winning 112,881 votes. However, he did not become a member of the party, and was seen as a moderate within the group.
, whose charge for statutory rape
in the United States divided Poland. With Civic Platform
MEP Sławomir Nitras, in January 2010, Migalski co-authored a resolution that would name the Katyn massacre
a 'genocide'. In July 2010, he led a boycott of the beer Lech, after the brand was advertised with an allusion to Lech Kaczyński
's death
.
In August 2010, he came out in criticism of Jarosław Kaczyński, blaming Kaczyński for Law and Justice's poor poll ratings in a five-page open letter
. The open letter divided the party, with more moderate, younger figures in the PiS, including Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska
and Paweł Poncyljusz, both of whom Migalski mentioned in his letter, siding with Migalski. Migalski was ejected from the party's European Parliament delegation the following week, in a resolution written by Ryszard Legutko
and Tomasz Poręba.
The split led to three members of the Sejm – Kluzik-Rostkowska, Poncyljusz, and Elżbieta Jakubiak
– being ejected from the party. Together with them and fellow MEPs Michał Kamiński, Adam Bielan
, and Paweł Kowal, Migalski formed the more centrist Poland Comes First
, which was joined by a total of 17 MPs. He remains a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists
group, to which both Law and Justice and Poland Comes First belongs.
He is a member of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group
.
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
) is a Polish politician, 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,...
, political scientist
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, and columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. A member of Poland Comes First
Poland Comes First
Poland Comes First , also rendered as Poland is the Most Important, and abbreviated to PJN, is a centre-right, conservative liberal, political party in Poland. It was formed as a breakaway group from Law and Justice...
(PjN), Migalski was elected 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...
at the 2009 election
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...
for Law and Justice
Law and Justice
Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament....
(PiS). He never joined the party, and his open criticism of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński led to his expulsion from the party's group and the creation of the more moderate PjN in late 2010.
Professional career
Migalski taught PolishPolish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
before studying political science at the University of Silesia
University of Silesia
The University of Silesia in Katowice is an autonomous state university in Silesia Province, Poland.The University of Silesia should not be confused with a similarly named university in Opava, Czech Republic ....
, graduating in 1999. In that year, he was appointed deputy director of Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia
Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia
Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia is one of the euroregions between Poland and Czech Republic. It has area of about 1,400 km2 and more than 680,000 inhabitants...
, while earning his doctorate from the University of Silesia, which he was granted in 2001 for his thesis A Bridge Between East and West: Edvard Beneš – An Attempt to Preserve the Independence of Czechoslovakia in 1945-1948. He taught at the University of Silesia in 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...
, as well as the Humanitas Academy in Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a combined population of over two million people located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in...
.
As a political scientist, Migalski was well-known for his conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
views, as well as the accuracy of his predictions. In 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...
, he ran for 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...
for Law and Justice
Law and Justice
Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament....
, in the Silesian constituency
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...
. He was elected, winning 112,881 votes. However, he did not become a member of the party, and was seen as a moderate within the group.
Member of the European Parliament
In September 2009, he strongly condemned Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
, whose charge for statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
in the United States divided Poland. With Civic Platform
Civic Platform
Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...
MEP Sławomir Nitras, in January 2010, Migalski co-authored a resolution that would name the Katyn massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
a 'genocide'. In July 2010, he led a boycott of the beer Lech, after the brand was advertised with an allusion to Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
's death
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
.
In August 2010, he came out in criticism of Jarosław Kaczyński, blaming Kaczyński for Law and Justice's poor poll ratings in a five-page open letter
Open letter
An open letter is a letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally....
. The open letter divided the party, with more moderate, younger figures in the PiS, including Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska is a Polish politician and member of the Sejm for Civic Platform. She was elected for Law and Justice in 2007, but led a breakaway group in 2010 to form the more liberal Poland Comes First, of which she was leader. She resigned and joined Civic Platform in June...
and Paweł Poncyljusz, both of whom Migalski mentioned in his letter, siding with Migalski. Migalski was ejected from the party's European Parliament delegation the following week, in a resolution written by Ryszard Legutko
Ryszard Legutko
Ryszard Antoni Legutko , born 24 December 1949. Polish philosopher and politician. Professor of philosophy at the Jagellonian University in Kraków, specializing in ancientphilosophy and political theory....
and Tomasz Poręba.
The split led to three members of the Sejm – Kluzik-Rostkowska, Poncyljusz, and Elżbieta Jakubiak
Elżbieta Jakubiak
Elżbieta Renata Jakubiak is a Polish politician , sports and tourism minister in the government of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was head of the Polish President's Cabinet with the rank of secretary of state, and deputy to the Sejm sixth term of office.-Biography:Jakubiak was born in 1966, the daughter of...
– being ejected from the party. Together with them and fellow MEPs Michał Kamiński, Adam Bielan
Adam Bielan
Adam Jerzy Bielan is a Polish politician and Member of the European Parliament for Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie with Poland Comes First. He is Vice-Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists political grouping....
, and Paweł Kowal, Migalski formed the more centrist Poland Comes First
Poland Comes First
Poland Comes First , also rendered as Poland is the Most Important, and abbreviated to PJN, is a centre-right, conservative liberal, political party in Poland. It was formed as a breakaway group from Law and Justice...
, which was joined by a total of 17 MPs. He remains a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....
group, to which both Law and Justice and Poland Comes First belongs.
He is a member of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group
Reconciliation of European Histories Group
The Reconciliation of European Histories Group is an informal all-party group in the European Parliament involved in promoting the Prague Process in all of Europe, aimed at coming to terms with the totalitarian past in many countries of Europe...
.