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	No. 19 (Warsaw I)
In office 25 November 1991 – 31 May 1993
Constituency	No. 18 (Poznań)
Member of the European Parliament for Silesian
In office 1 July 2014 – 1 March 2018
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), also known by his initials JKM or as Korwin, is a Polish politician and author. He is known for his strong opinions that often cause a lot of discussion.

He was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2018. He has led several political parties, including the Congress of the New Right (KNP) and KORWiN. From 2019 to 2023, he was a member of the Sejm, which is the lower house of the Polish parliament.

Early Life and Family

Janusz Korwin-Mikke was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 27 October 1942, during World War II. At that time, Poland was occupied by Germany. His father, Ryszard, was an engineer at a state aviation company. His mother, Maria, was killed during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, a major battle fought to free the city from German forces. After his mother's death, he was raised by his grandmother and later his stepmother.

The Korwin-Mikke family has a long history. They originally came from Sweden and moved to Poland centuries ago. Before becoming Catholic, the family followed the Lutheran faith, a branch of Protestantism.

Education and Early Activism

Korwin-Mikke studied at the University of Warsaw, where he was interested in mathematics and philosophy. During this time, Poland was under a communist government. Because he was involved in activities against the government, he was arrested in 1964.

In 1968, he was arrested again for taking part in student protests and was removed from the university. However, he was later allowed to return and finish his studies. He earned a master's degree in philosophy.

Political Career

Korwin-Mikke has been involved in politics for many decades. He believes in ideas like free markets, low taxes, and less government control. He often refers to thinkers like Milton Friedman and politicians like Margaret Thatcher.

Early Political Parties

From 1962 to 1982, he was a member of the Democratic Party. In the 1980s, he supported the Solidarity movement, which helped end communist rule in Poland. In 1987, he started his own political party called the Union of Real Politics (UPR). He also started a weekly newspaper called Najwyższy Czas! (which means "About Time!").

Member of the Sejm

From 1991 to 1993, Korwin-Mikke was a member of the Sejm. During this time, he called for a law to reveal the names of politicians who had worked as secret agents for the former communist government. This caused a major political event and led to the government at the time being dismissed.

He has run for president of Poland five times but has never won.

European Parliament and Recent Years

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

In 2014, Korwin-Mikke was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the Congress of the New Right party. He resigned in 2018 to focus on Polish politics again.

In 2019, he helped form a new political group called the Confederation Liberty and Independence. He was elected to the Sejm again that year, returning to the Polish parliament after 26 years.

In October 2022, he stepped down as the leader of his party, which was then renamed New Hope. In the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, he lost his seat in the Sejm. After the election, his party suspended him, and it was announced he would not run as a candidate for the Confederation in future elections.

Controversial Views

Janusz Korwin-Mikke is famous for his controversial and often shocking statements. His opinions have led to him being fined and suspended from the European Parliament several times.

• On Women: He has said that he believes women are less intelligent than men and should not have the right to vote. In 2017, during a debate in the European Parliament, he said women earn less than men because they are "weaker" and "less intelligent." This caused a lot of anger, and he was punished by the parliament.
• On Protests and Salutes: After the Charlie Hebdo shooting in 2015, he held up a sign in the European Parliament that said "I am for the death penalty" instead of "Je suis Charlie" like other members. He was also suspended for making a Nazi salute during a speech.
• On International Affairs: He has made many controversial claims, including one about the 2014 Maidan protests in Ukraine. He has also been described as being supportive of Russia, especially regarding the 2014 annexation of Crimea. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, he made statements that seemed to defend Russia's actions and criticized the sanctions against Russia.
• On Other Groups: He has made offensive comments about migrants, calling them "human garbage." He has also been criticized for his remarks about people with disabilities, Jewish people, and Muslims.

He has stated that he is a monarchist, meaning he believes a king would be a better ruler than a democratically elected government.

Personal Life

Janusz Korwin-Mikke has been married three times and has eight children. He is also a skilled chess player.

Electoral History

Presidential Elections

Images for kids

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  During the 2000 presidential campaign in Poland

See also

In Spanish: Janusz Korwin-Mikke para niños