Margaritis Schinas

Early life and education

Stemming from a family from Fourka, Chalkidiki, Schinas studied at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he received a Bachelor of Laws in 1985. He went on to receive a Diploma of Advanced European Studies (DAES) in European Public Administration from the College of Europe in Bruges in 1986, as well as a further Master of Science in Public Administration and Policy at the London School of Economics in 1987.

In October 2011, he graduated from the EU-funded "High Potential Leadership" Program of the Harvard University School of Business.

European career

Schinas passed the competition for EU officials in 1989, and started working as a eurocrat in the Directorate-General for Transport of the European Commission and then at the European Commission Representation Office in Athens. From 1999 to 2004, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the office of Commissioner Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Transport, Energy and Relations with the European Parliament. From 2004 to 2007 Schinas was head of cabinet of the European Commissioner Markos Kyprianou.

Schinas became an MEP for the New Democracy party (which is part of the European People's Party), following the resignation of Antonis Samaras from the European Parliament on 25 September 2007. During his time in office, he was a member of the Committee on Budgets. He served until 2009 and was not a candidate in the 2009 European elections.

In 2010, Schinas was appointed Deputy Director of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers by Commission President Barroso. In April 2013 he was appointed Director at the Commission's Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs.

In November 2014, he was appointed acting chief spokesperson for the European Commission, following a proposal from President Jean-Claude Juncker. On 16 December 2015, he was appointed Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Communication of the European Commission.

Following the 2019 European election, Schinas was nominated to serve in the Von der Leyen Commission as the European Commission vice president for “Protecting our European Way of Life”, responsible for upholding the rule-of-law, migration and internal security. He became the first Greek to hold such a high-ranking position in the Europe's top decision-making body. His portfolio was later renamed into "Promoting our European Way of Life". Among this portfolio's thrusts is the European Commission coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, held by Katharina von Schnurbein since 2015.

Upon completion of his mandate in the European Commission he was appointed "Distinguished Fellow" with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. He also leads the Chair on Strategic Autonomy at the Comillas Pontifical University, in Madrid.

Personal life

He speaks Greek, English, French and Spanish. He is married to Mercedes Alvargonzález, a Spanish national, who was like him a student of the College of Europe in Bruges and works for the Secretariat of the European People's Party's Parliamentary Group and its President Manfred Weber. They have two sons, Stergios and Juan.

Schinas is an Aris Thessaloniki supporter.

In March 2020, Schinas was one of the few persons to participate in the start of the Tokyo 2020's Olympic torch relay - cancelled afterwards due to the COVID-19 crisis - in Olympia, Greece, as the third torchbearer after two olympic champions, Greek shooter Anna Korakaki and Japanese marathoner Mizuki Noguchi. He was once again a torchbearer of the Olympic flame for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Honours

He has been awarded the "Order of the Redeemer" by the President of the Hellenic Republic. He has also been awarded the "Order of Merit (First Degree)" by the President of Ukraine. In addition, he has received the "Encomienda de la Orden de Isabel la Católica" from the Kingdom of Spain.

References

References

1. "About the European Commission".
2. [[Dieter Mahncke]], [[Léonce Bekemans]], [[Robert Picht]], ''The College of Europe. Fifty years of service to Europe'', College of Europe, Bruges, 1999. {{ISBN. 9080498319
3. "Home | MEPs | European Parliament".
4. (11 September 2019). "EU accused of adopting 'fascist rhetoric' with new Commissioner For Protecting Our European Way of Life to oversee immigration policy". The Independent.
5. (10 September 2019). "New EU post to protect European Way of Life slammed as 'grotesque'". Reuters.
6. "Schinas nomination as European Commission VP confirmed | Kathimerini".
7. "Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life".
8. "Atlantic Council appoints Margaritis Schinas as Distinguished Fellow".
9. "Margaritis Schinas".
10. "Margaritis Schinas".
11. (2025-10-29). "EUPeace Member Comillas Launches Europe’s Only University Chair Exclusively Devoted to Strategic Autonomy".
12. Palmeri, Tara. (August 22, 2016). "Brussels is for lovers".
13. (19 April 2019). "Το δώρο-έκπληξη της ΠΑΕ Άρης στον Μαργαρίτη Σχοινά (ΦΩΤΟ)".
14. (15 March 2020). "Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch handover will take place behind closed doors amid coronavirus pandemic".
15. (2024-04-16). "Paris 2024: Olympic torch to depart from ancient birthplace of the Games".
16. (2022-06-17). "«Προεδρικό» παράσημο στον Μαργαρίτη Σχοινά".
17. "Margaritis Schinas - The Commissioners - European Commission".