Alexandr Vondra

Alexandr Vondra (; born 17 August 1961) is a Czech politician and diplomat who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2007 and Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs between 2007 and 2009, both in cabinets of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, and then as Minister of Defence from 2010 to 2012 under prime minister Petr Nečas. He is also a former Senator for Litoměřice (2006–2012) and Czech Ambassador to the United States (1997–2001).

He was a candidate for the European Parliament seat in the 2019 election and received 29,536 preferential votes and was elected Member of the European Parliament. Vondra is a member of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).

Life Vondra was born in Prague. He graduated in geography from Charles University in Prague in 1984, receiving a Doctor in Natural Sciences degree one year later. In November 1989, while the Velvet Revolution was underway, he co-founded the Civic Forum. In 1996, he was a chief negotiator for the Czech-German Declaration on the Mutual Relations and their Future Development. and wary of European integration, though less than ODS eurosceptic hardliners, and had good connections to Havel (his announced return to politics in spring 2006 was taken as a sign of ODS trying to appease the political centre) .

Vondra was mentioned as a possible nominee to serve as European Commissioner in 2009.

He participated at the international conference European Conscience and Communism, which took place under his patronage at the Czech Senate in Prague in June 2008.

In November 2012, he decided to step down from politics due to the mounting pressure, his defeat in the Senate elections and criticism over one of the contracts during the 2009 Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

In 2019, Vondra returned to politics when the Civic Democratic Party nominated him in European Parliament election. He was on 15th place on the party's list. He received 29,536 preferential votes and was elected.

Vondra then ran for the position of Vice-Chairman of ODS. He received 443 votes of 502 which was more than any other candidate and was elected.

Teaching After his 2012 exit from politics, Vondra served as director of the Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations at the CEVRO Institute in Prague, as well as an instructor for both Bachelor and Master level courses at the university.

Family He is married and has three children with his wife Martina: Vojtěch (1991), Anna (1993) and Marie (1996).