Graham Watson

Graham Watson
Graham Watson in 2010
President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party
In office
25 November 2011 – 21 November 2015
Preceded byAnnemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
Succeeded byHans van Baalen
Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group
In office
25 May 2004 – 1 July 2009
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byGuy Verhofstadt
Member of the European Parliament
for South West England
In office
19 July 1994 – 30 June 2014
Preceded byConstituency established
Personal details
Born (1956-03-23) 23 March 1956 (age 68)
Rothesay, Scotland, UK
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom • Italy
Political partyLiberal Democrats (1988–present)
LDE (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (1972–1988)
NLYL (1972–1988)
SpouseRita Giannini
Children2
Alma materHeriot-Watt University

Sir Graham Robert Watson (born 23 March 1956) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England from 1994 to 2014. Watson was the chairman of the Parliament's committee on citizens rights, justice and home affairs (1999–2002). He then served for seven and a half years as leader of the Liberal Group in the European Parliament, first as leader of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group (2002–2004) and then as leader of the new Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group (2004–2009).[1] From 2011 until 2015, he was the president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party. From 2015 to 2020, he was a UK Member on the European Economic and Social Committee. He is currently an adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

Sir Graham, who holds Italian citizenship through marriage, was chosen as head of list for the 2024 European Parliament election in North East Italy by the centrist coalition 'United States of Europe' (electoral list). He was not elected since the coalition failed to reach the threshold of votes required nationwide to elect MEPs. [2]

  1. ^ "Biography: Graham Watson MEP". Graham Watson MEP website. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  2. ^ "Bonino capolista per Stati Uniti d'Europa nel Nord ovest - Notizie - Ansa.it". Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.