During the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, a debate took place on the urgent need to address the gender pay gap. Marlena Maląg, a PiS MEP and vice-chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), spoke during the debate.
“Economic discrimination is an issue with two dimensions—a real one and an ideological one,” said Marlena Maląg. She noted that the Parliament is a place where the latter sometimes prevails. “The same people condemn occupational discrimination against women, but at the same time force them, for example in sports, to compete against transgender individuals,” she noted, asking where the equality is in that. She urged people to set ideology aside and look at the problem realistically. “The widening pay gap is a systemic problem, and we won’t solve it with one regulation or another, which will do more harm than good,” the Polish politician pointed out.
She also drew attention to the unfair statements made in the European Parliament regarding the plight of women in Poland. She noted that the pay gap in the European Union averages 12.7 percent, while in Poland it stands at 7.8 percent—one of the lowest rates. The MEP argued that rebuilding this system must start from the ground up. She outlined that the process should begin with ensuring flexible work arrangements, access to childcare, strengthening legal protections for parents and ensuring their equal rights and responsibilities, raising public awareness, and transparently reporting pay gaps. “Only integrated, decisive action will allow us to create a more just and equitable labor market,” she noted. She also stated that we must seek realistic solutions and build a fair, just system based on clear principles.
