Janusz Korwin-Mikke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janusz Korwin-Mikke
Korwin-Mikke in 2016
Chairman of New Hope
In office 22 January 2015 – 15 October 2022
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Sławomir Mentzen
Member of the Sejm
In office 12 November 2019 – 12 November 2023
Constituency	Warsaw I
In office 25 November 1991 – 31 May 1993
Constituency	Poznań 18
Member of the European Parliament
In office 1 July 2014 – 1 March 2018
Constituency	Katowice
Personal details
Born	Janusz Ryszard Korwin-Mikke (1942-10-27) 27 October 1942 (age 82) Warsaw, General Governorate, German Reich (German-occupied Poland)
Political party	KORWiN (2024–present)
Other political affiliations	SD (1962–1982) Real Politics Union (1987–2009) WiP (2009–2011) KNP (2011–2015) KORWiN/New Hope (2015–2023)
Spouses	Ewa Mieczkowska ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1973)​ Małgorzata Szmit ​ ​ (m. 1993, divorced)​ Dominika Sibiga ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	8
Relatives	Bartłomiej Pejo (son-in-law)
Alma mater	University of Warsaw (MPhil)
Signature

Janusz Ryszard Korwin-Mikke (born 27 October 1942) is a Polish politician and writer. People also know him as JKM or simply Korwin. He was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2018. He also led several political parties in Poland. From 2019 to 2023, he was a member of the Sejm, which is the lower house of the Polish Parliament.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Janusz Korwin-Mikke was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 27 October 1942. At that time, Poland was occupied by Germany during World War II. His mother died during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. After that, his grandmother and later his stepmother took care of him.

He studied at the University of Warsaw. He focused on subjects like mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and law.

Political Activities and Detention

Korwin-Mikke was active against the communist government in Poland. Because of his activities, he was arrested in 1964. He was arrested again in 1968 for joining student protests. He was also expelled from the university for a time. However, he was later allowed to finish his studies.

Meeting with Milton Friedman

Janusz Korwin-Mikke met Milton Friedman, a famous economist. Friedman visited Europe to talk about free-market ideas. Friedman wrote in his memoirs that Korwin-Mikke was an underground publisher. He published books about freedom and economics.

Political Career in Poland

From 1962 to 1982, Korwin-Mikke was a member of the Democratic Party. In 1980, he supported a workers' strike in Szczecin. He also advised a trade union called "Solidarność".

In 1987, he started a political party called Ruch Polityki Realnej. This party later changed its name to Unia Polityki Realnej (UPR). In 1990, he started a weekly newspaper called Najwyższy Czas!.

In 1991, Korwin-Mikke became a member of the Sejm. This was the first time he was in the Polish Parliament. He proposed a rule that made the government reveal names of politicians who had been secret police agents during the communist era. This led to a big political event in 1992.

Korwin-Mikke has run for president of Poland many times. He ran in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. He did not win any of these elections.

Member of the European Parliament

In 2014, Korwin-Mikke was elected as a Member of the European Parliament. He represented the Congress of the New Right party. He decided to leave the European Parliament in 2018. He wanted to return to Polish politics.

Return to Polish Politics

In 2019, Korwin-Mikke was elected to the Sejm again. This marked his return to the Polish Parliament after 26 years. He was part of a group of parties called Confederation Liberty and Independence.

On 15 October 2022, he stepped down as the leader of the KORWiN party. Sławomir Mentzen took over his role. The party then changed its name to New Hope.

Recent Political Events

In the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, Korwin-Mikke did not win a seat in the Sejm. He received fewer votes than another candidate from his party.

After the election, the party decided to suspend him from some of his rights as a member. This happened because some blamed him for the party's election results. In October 2023, it was announced that he would not run in future elections with the Confederation party.

Views

During the 2000 presidential campaign in Poland

Korwin-Mikke during a press conference in the Polish Sejm, 2015

Janusz Korwin-Mikke is known for his strong and sometimes controversial opinions. He has been described as a "colorful character" by some media.

He has made statements that have caused controversy. For example, he praised Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko in 2020. He has also expressed views that are seen as supportive of Russia in some conflicts. This includes his statements about the Russian annexation of Crimea. He has also appeared on Russian television.

He often talks about ideas from thinkers like Frédéric Bastiat and Milton Friedman.

Personal Life

Korwin-Mikke has been married three times. He has eight children.

Electoral History

Presidential Elections

Images for kids

• 

  Janusz Korwin-Mikke's signature

See also

In Spanish: Janusz Korwin-Mikke para niños