29 Facts About Jerzy Buzek

Jerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish politician and former Member of the European Parliament from Poland.

Jerzy Buzek has served as Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001, since being elected to the European Parliament in 2004, he served as President of the European Parliament between 2009 and 2012.

Jerzy Buzek is married to Ludgarda Buzek and is the father of Polish actress Agata Buzek.

Jerzy Karol Buzek was born to a Lutheran family on 3 July 1940 in Smilovice, Czechoslovakia.

Jerzy Buzek was born into the prominent Buzek family, which participated in Polish politics in the Second Polish Republic during the interbellum.

In 1963 Jerzy Buzek graduated from the Mechanics-and-Energy Division of the Silesian University of Technology, specialising in chemical engineering.

Jerzy Buzek became a scientist in the Chemical Engineering Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Jerzy Buzek is an honorary doctor of the universities in Seoul and Dortmund among others.

From 1997 to 2001, Buzek was a coalition Prime Minister of Poland.

Jerzy Buzek won the award for the second time in 2009.

Jerzy Buzek was the first Prime Minister of the 3rd Republic of Poland to serve a full term.

Jerzy Buzek was the first Lutheran Prime Minister in the history of Poland.

Jerzy Buzek was an active organiser of the trade union's regional and national underground authorities.

Jerzy Buzek was the chairman of the four national general meetings when the Solidarity movement was allowed to participate in the political process again.

Jerzy Buzek was a member of the Solidarity Electoral Action and co-author of the AWS's economic program.

On 13 June 2004, in the European Parliament election, 2004, Jerzy Buzek was elected a Member of the European Parliament from the Silesian Voivodeship, basing his candidacy only on the popularity of his name and on direct contact with the voters.

Jerzy Buzek received a record number of votes, 173,389.

Jerzy Buzek's current party affiliation is with the Civic Platform, which is a member of the European People's Party.

On 7 June 2009, in the European Parliament election, 2009, Jerzy Buzek was re-elected as a Member of the European Parliament from the Silesian Voivodeship constituency.

Just as in the previous election, Jerzy Buzek received a record number of votes in Poland: 393,117.

On 14 July 2009, Jerzy Buzek was elected President of the European Parliament with 555 votes of the 644 votes cast, the largest majority ever, becoming the first person from the former Eastern Bloc and the first former Prime Minister since Pierre Pflimlin to gain that position.

Jerzy Buzek succeeded the German Christian Democrat MEP, Hans-Gert Pottering.

Jerzy Buzek pledged to make human rights and the promotion of the Eastern partnership two of his priorities during his term of office, which would last two and a half years, due to a political deal, Social Democrat MEP Martin Schulz who take over after that.

Jerzy Buzek stated he would be committed to reform of the European economy, tackling rising unemployment, energy security, and climate change, strengthening European solidarity and integration and promoting equal opportunities for women.

However, Jerzy Buzek noted that the Lisbon Treaty would be a prerequisite to any change " well-organised and effective".

On 8 December 2009 Jerzy Buzek was awarded by the Ministerprasident of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dr Jurgen Ruttgers, the annual "Staatspreis award".

The Lisbon Treaty, which came into force on 1 December 2009 shortly after Jerzy Buzek assumed office, brought a conclusion to nearly a decade of internal discussions and greatly boosted the democratic powers of the European Parliament.

From very early on Jerzy Buzek has been a vocal supporter of the treaty as part of a wider push for greater political integration in Europe.

In late 2011 Jerzy Buzek's presidency endorsed the 'Sixpack' legislation on economic governance to tackle the growing Eurozone crisis.