Petr Mach

Early career

Mach worked as an executive director of the Center for Economics and Politics in Prague from 1999 to 2009, and as an external economic adviser to Czech President Václav Klaus from 2003 to 2007, with whom he shares enthusiasm for the free market economy and euroscepticism. In 2003, Mach earned a PhD from the Department of Monetary Theory and Policy of the University of Economics, Prague.

Political career

Party of Free Citizens

Having previously been chair of the Young Conservatives, the youth wing of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Mach left ODS at the end of 2007 after the party moved to a position of support for the Treaty of Lisbon. He established a new party, the Party of Free Citizens, in 2009, and was re-elected as party leader in 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2015.

In September 2010, Mach addressed the UK Independence Party (UKIP) annual conference and praised Václav Klaus for his opposition to the Lisbon Treaty. He addressed the UKIP party conference again in 2014 following their victory in the European parliament election.

Resignations and departure from politics

On 10 December 2016, Mach resigned as chair of the Party of Free Citizens due to disputes about party direction, but returned to the office and was re-elected party chairman on 22 January 2017.

Mach announced his resignation as a member of the European Parliament on 31 August 2017, stating that he wanted to fully concentrate on the parliamentary election campaign. He was replaced by Jiří Payne. Mach resigned as party leader in October after poor results in the parliamentary election, and finished second behind Tomáš Pajonk in the subsequent leadership election. In 2018, Mach decided not to run for election again and announced his departure from politics.

Return to politics

In September 2019, Mach was announced as a member of the Tricolour Citizens' Movement, and addressed their party conference in Brno. He joined Freedom and Direct Democracy in 2023 and became the party's lead candidate in the 2024 European Parliament election, heading a joint list with Trikolóra. The alliance won 5.73% and one seat, which was taken by Ivan David.

Political views

Mach is considered a libertarian, and argues for a lean state with minimal taxation. He is against the adoption of the Euro in the Czech Republic.

Personal life

Mach is a member of . He has been married to Reflex journalist Andrea Holopová since 2014.

References

References

1. Šíma, Milan. (21 May 2009). "Petr Mach: Nevěděl jsem, že to je Topolánkova dcera". Empresa Media.
2. "Ing. Petr Mach Ph.D".
3. Křapka, David. (5 March 2013). "Mach: EU je jako rozjetý vlak, který nejde zastavit ani odklonit na bezpečnou kolej".
4. (14 February 2009). "Petr Mach zvolen do čela Strany svobodných občanů". [[Czech Television]].
5. Mach, Petr. (23 August 2012). "Svobodní zvolili nové předsednictvo".
6. Smetka, Radim. (25 June 2012). "Svobodní si zvolili nové předsednictvo".
7. (10 December 2013). "Svobodní zvolili předsedu a čtyři místopředsedy".
8. Kašparová, Kateřina. (23 November 2015). "P. Mach představil svoje programové vize novinářům".
9. (10 November 2016). "Předseda Svobodných Mach rezignoval, bude ale kandidovat v nové volbě". [[Mafra (company).
10. Kopecký, Josef. (10 November 2016). "Mach uhájil křeslo šéfa Svobodných a požaduje referendum o Czexitu". [[Mafra (company).
11. (29 August 2017). "Mach odchází z europarlamentu".
12. Martinek, Jan. (30 August 2017). "Povedu Svobodné do voleb, vysvětlil Mach svou rezignaci na euromandát".
13. (23 October 2017). "Volby jsou neúspěch, vedení Svobodných rezignuje".
14. (19 November 2017). "Svobodné nově povede Tomáš Pajonk".
15. Škraňková, Petra. (16 December 2019). "Mach ze Svobodných se vzdal postu lídra do eurovoleb a končí s politikou". Mafra.
16. (10 September 2019). "Klaus starší, Mach a mažoretky. Trikolóra svolala ustavující sněm".
17. (2 December 2023). "Kandidátku SPD a Trikolory povede do eurovoleb bývalý europoslanec Mach".
18. "Volby do Evropského parlamentu konané na území České republiky ve dnech 2024". Czech Statistical Office.
19. Gavenda, Jaroslav. (6 November 2023). "Mach, David nebo Majerová. SPD s Trikolórou vybírají kandidáty do eurovoleb".
20. (2 December 2023). "SPD a Trikoloru povedou do evropských voleb Mach, David a Majerová". Mafra.
21. Menšík, Jan. (9 June 2024). "Volby vyhrálo ANO. STAN skončilo až za Konečnou na pátém místě".
22. Roháč, Dalibor. (27 September 2014). "Libertarians and the European Union: A Rejoinder to Petr Mach".
23. Lacko, David. (29 September 2013). "Předvolební speciál {{!}} Petr Mach (Svobodní): Lékem proti korupci je zmenšení státu".
24. Tůma, Ondřej. (8 October 2013). "Volební speciál: Vaše peníze. Jak s nimi chtějí hospodařit Petr Mach a Strana svobodných občanů".
25. Lejsková, Michaela. (9 October 2013). "Bondovka podle Petra Macha".
26. Kňazovický, Lukáš. (26 October 2014). "Petr Mach, šéf Svobodných, se oženil".