The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies is proud to announce that Klaus Welle is the new Chair of the Martens Centre Academic Council. 

Klaus Welle is the former Secretary-General of the European Parliament, a role in which he served from 2009 to 2022. He was already a member of the Martens Centre’s Academic Council since November 2022 and is also a Guest Professor in practice at the London School of Economics and a Visiting Professor at KU Leuven. 

He will perform his new role and functions as Chair of the Martens Centre Academic Council on a pro-bono basis. 

Mikuláš Dzurinda, President of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, congratulated Klaus Welle upon his appointment and expressed his enthusiasm:  

“Congratulations and welcome to your new role, Klaus. You are already working to develop strategic policy initiatives which will help guide not only the Martens Centre’s activities, but also the reflection of the European centre-right.”  

President Dzurinda went on to thank the former Chair of the Academic Council: 

“I’d like to thank Dr. Fasslabend, who served as Chairman of the Academic Council since its inception in 2008. He has done a tremendous job. There is no doubt the quality of our research has increased substantially during his tenure.” 

Klaus Welle added: “I’d like to thank President Dzurinda and the Executive Board for the nomination, and my predecessor Dr. Fasslabend for his kind words. I look forward to all the fine work we’ll be doing together. I believe our work will serve as inspiration for all decision-makers, both at the European and national level. My idea of Christian Democracy is one that seeks to bring balance to society, and this is what our work will seek to achieve.” 

The Academic Council of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies is comprised of esteemed academics and researchers, whose aim is to increase the academic scope of the Centre and oversee the scientific standards of its research, studies and activities. They ensure the Centre is always pursuing cutting-edge research, propose innovative projects and implement the highest standards of peer review. Klaus Welle takes over the leadership from Werner Fasslabend, former Austrian Minister of Defence and President of the National Council, who chaired the Academic Council since 2008. 

Moreover, the Martens Centre General Assembly decided to increase the number of its Academic Council members on 26th of April 2023. Therefore, the new Academic Council of the Centre will be composed of the following members: 

• Klaus Welle, Chair  
• John Bruton 
• Olaf Ehrenkrona 
• Werner Fasslabend 
• Antonis Klapsis 
• Giovanni Maddalena 
• Lucie Tungul 
• Ziga Turk 
• Michel Barnier 
• Jori Arvonen 
• Peter Fischer-Bolin
• Ignacio Cosido 
• Anthony Teasdale 
• Jakub Kierkegaard 
• Steven van Hecke 
• Frank Debie 
• Anthony Gooch 
• Stefan Lunte 
• Geir Flikke 
• Loredana Teodorescu 
• Salome Samadashvili 
• Marina Skordeli 
• Mikolaj Dowgielewicz 

Notes to editors:

Klaus Welle is the former Secretary-General of the European Parliament, a role in which he served from 2009 to 2022. He is now Chair of the Martens Centre’s Academic Council and is also a Guest Professor in practice at the London School of Economics and a Visiting Professor at KU Leuven. 

After obtaining a Degree in economics from the University of Witten/Herdecke in Germany, Klaus Welle worked at the CDU Central Office in Bonn, before coming to Brussels where he served as Secretary-General of the European People’s Party (EPP) from 1994 to 1999, Secretary-General of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2003, Director-General for Internal Policies at the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007, Head of the Cabinet of the President of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2009, and Secretary-General of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2022. 

About the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies: 

The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, established in 2007, is the political foundation and think tank of the European People’s Party. The Martens Centre embodies a pan-European mindset, promoting Christian Democrat, conservative and like-minded political values. It serves as a framework for national political foundations linked to member parties of the EPP. https://www.martenscentre.eu  

For more information, please contact Eleftheria Katsi, Communications and Press Assistant: ek@martenscentre.eu