PRAGUE (AP) — The European Parliament is expected to be a different legislature after next week's election and leading Czech conservative lawmaker Jan Zahradil is hoping voters embrace the idea of a scaled-down European Union.

Zahradil is a moderate critic of the bloc and is campaigning for a more flexible EU.

Zahradil told The Associated Press in an interview that he supports "a multi-speed European Union with more space for the national governments and parliaments."

In effect, he wants the EU "to simply do less and to do it better."

Zahradil is leader of a group known as the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe, the third largest in the European Parliament.