Mirek Topolánek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mirek Topolánek
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Topolánek in 2007
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| Prime Minister of the Czech Republic | |
| In office 16 August 2006 – 8 May 2009 |
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| President | Václav Klaus |
| Deputy | Martin Bursík Vlasta Parkanová Petr Nečas Alexandr Vondra |
| Preceded by | Jiří Paroubek |
| Succeeded by | Jan Fischer |
| Leader of the Civic Democratic Party | |
| In office 15 December 2002 – 13 April 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Václav Klaus |
| Succeeded by | Petr Nečas |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 3 June 2006 – 15 September 2009 |
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| Senator from Ostrava | |
| In office 23 November 1996 – 21 November 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Liana Janáčková |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1956 Vsetín, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) |
| Political party | Civic Democratic Party (1994–2015) Independent (2015–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Civic Forum (1989–1991) |
| Spouses | Pavla Topolánková (1979–2010) Lucie Talmanová (2010–present) |
| Children | 4 |
| Signature |  |
Mirek Topolánek was born on 15 May 1956. He is a Czech politician and business leader. He served as the prime minister of the Czech Republic from 2006 to 2009. He was also the leader of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) from 2002 to 2010.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Topolánek was a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He also served as a senator for Ostrava from 1996 to 2004. After leaving politics in 2010, he worked in the electric power industry.
On 24 March 2009, Topolánek resigned as Prime Minister. This happened after the parliament voted that they no longer supported his government. He stayed in office until 8 May, when Jan Fischer took over as an independent Prime Minister.
In November 2017, Topolánek tried to become the President of the Czech Republic. He ran in the 2018 election but received about 4% of the votes. He finished in sixth place.
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Early Life and Education
Mirek Topolánek went to a military high school in Opava. He studied at Brno University of Technology. There he earned an engineering degree in mechanical engineering. Later, he also took courses in business management.
In 1989, he joined a political group called Civic Forum. In 1994, he became a member of the Civic Democratic Party. Topolánek also helped start an engineering company called VAE Ltd. in 1991. He was on the board of directors for VAE Inc. from 1996 to 2003.
Political Journey
Topolánek started his political career as a local council member for Ostrava-Poruba in 1990. He held this position until 1994.
In 1996, Topolánek ran for the Senate. He won the election in the Ostrava-city district. His campaign focused a lot on his family, which was new for Czech politics. He was re-elected as a Senator in 1998. After that, he became the leader of his party's group in the Senate.
From 2002 to 2004, Topolánek was the deputy president of the Senate. He did not run for a third term in the Senate. In 2002, he was chosen as the leader of the Civic Democratic Party.
In the 2006 election, the parliament ended up with an equal number of seats for different parties. This is called a hung parliament. President Václav Klaus appointed Topolánek as Prime Minister on 16 August 2006. His first government had members only from his party and some independent politicians. This government did not get enough support from parliament.
Topolánek then formed a new government. This time, it was a coalition government with the Green Party and the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party. This second government was appointed on 9 January 2007. It finally gained the support of parliament on 19 January 2007.
Time as Prime Minister (2006–2009)
Topolánek's first government was formed on 3 September 2006. It failed to gain the support of the Chamber of Deputies on 3 October 2006. This was the first time in Czech history a government failed to gain confidence.
His second government was appointed on 9 January 2007. On 19 January 2007, this government successfully passed a confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies.
Anti-Missile Defence System
Mirek Topolánek supported the idea of an anti-missile defense system. This system was proposed by the US government. It was meant to protect against missile threats from countries like Iran.
Main Goals as Prime Minister
In October 2007, Mirek Topolánek introduced his "Five Prime Minister's Priorities." These were the main goals for his government. They included:
- Healthy Public Finances: Making sure the country's money was managed well.
- Modern and Efficient State: Making the government work better.
- Safe Citizen in a Safe Country: Keeping people safe.
- Removing Barriers: Making things easier for businesses and people.
- Promoting Science and Education: Supporting learning and new discoveries.
Czech Leadership of the European Union
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Topolánek's government led the Council of the European Union in 2009. This is a big responsibility for a country. During this time, the Czech Republic helped deal with a gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. They also worked on the conflict in Gaza.
Topolánek remained the President of the European Council until his government was replaced.
Government Resignation
On 24 March 2009, Topolánek's government lost a no confidence vote in parliament. This meant that most members of parliament no longer supported his government. Four members of his own coalition voted with the opposition. After the vote, Topolánek said he would resign as Prime Minister.
On 15 September 2009, Topolánek also resigned his seat in the Chamber of Deputies. This happened after a planned early election was delayed.
Business Career
After leaving politics, Topolánek started a business career. His work involves giving advice, helping with business deals, and managing real estate. He also works in advertising and marketing. Topolánek has said that the connections he made in politics helped him succeed in business.
2018 Presidential Election
In November 2017, Mirek Topolánek announced he would run for President of the Czech Republic. He sought support from his former party, the Civic Democratic Party. Many politicians from his party supported his decision. They saw him as an experienced candidate.
Topolánek officially started his campaign on 30 November 2017. He said his foreign policy would be practical. He also said he would support human rights. He was against migrant quotas and adopting the Euro currency.
The first round of the election was held on 12 and 13 January 2018. Topolánek received 4.3% of the votes. He finished in sixth place among the candidates. After the results, Topolánek accepted his defeat. He then supported another candidate, Jiří Drahoš, for the second round.
After the 2018 Election
After his presidential campaign, Topolánek went back to working for EPH holding, an energy company. In January 2019, he announced plans for his own talk show called "Topol Show." The first episode was released in February 2019. In December 2022, he announced he would run for President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic.
Political Ideas
Topolánek describes himself as a liberal conservative politician. This means he holds traditional values but supports free markets in economics.
He has said that his party should follow the ideas of Václav Klaus, a former president. He also supported indirect elections, where people vote for representatives who then choose the leader.
Before the 2017 election, Topolánek said his party should be more patriotic. He believed this would prevent extreme political groups from gaining power. He has also criticized other political parties for being too supportive of the European Union. He was very critical of ANO 2011 and Andrej Babiš, calling their politics "theft guaranteed by state."
In November 2017, Topolánek spoke at a meeting about "Law and Equality." He criticized Multiculturalism and Angela Merkel's policies on refugees. He warned against Sharia law and called for a ban on political Islam.
Personal Life
Mirek Topolánek has two daughters and two sons. He also has two grandchildren. He was married to Pavla Topolánková from 1979 to 2010. In June 2010, he married Lucie Talmanová. His hobbies include tennis, golf, and rally driving. He enjoys books by authors like Steinbeck and Hemingway. He looks up to political figures such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.
Images for kids
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Mirek Topolánek's signature
See also
In Spanish: Mirek Topolánek para niños
