Following the lifting of immunity for four Polish MEPs, a reader poll reveals widespread criticism of their work in the European Parliament.
Immunity Lifted, Debate Widens
On April 28th, the European Parliament voted to lift the immunity of four MEPs: Patryk Jaki, Daniel Obajtek, Grzegorz Braun, and Tomasz Buczek. The cases involve proceedings related to public statements, decisions made during their terms, and incidents involving third parties, including a dispute between Patryk Jaki and Judge Igor Tuleya, and Daniel Obajtek’s decision regarding the distribution of the weekly “NIE”.
The lifting of immunity does not signify a presumption of guilt, but allows for proceedings by national authorities. This sparked a broader discussion about the activities of MEPs, prompting a reader survey on the performance of Polish representatives in the European Parliament.
Majority Express Negative Views
The survey results show a predominantly critical assessment of Polish MEPs. A decisive 56.37 percent (270 voters) responded “definitely negatively,” while 16.28 percent (78 voters) answered “rather negatively.”
Positive Assessments Remain Low
Positive responses were significantly fewer. “Definitely positively” was selected by 11.06 percent (53 participants), and “rather positively” by 7.31 percent (35 votes). 8.98 percent (43 voters) indicated they had no opinion. A total of 479 votes were cast, with results collected on May 4, 2026.
Poland’s Representation in the European Parliament
Poland is currently represented by 53 MEPs in the European Parliament, which has a total of 720 members. The number of seats is based on population, giving larger EU countries significant representation.
Political Alignments and Powers
Following the June 2024 European Parliament elections, with a turnout of 40.65 percent, seats were distributed among five groups: Civic Coalition (21 seats), Law and Justice (20), Confederation (6), and Third Way and The Left (3 each). MEPs operate within both national parties and European political factions, which play a key role in decision-making.
The European Parliament co-decides on EU law with the Council of the EU, approves the budget, and oversees the European Commission, influencing policies and the direction of the entire community. The next European Parliament elections are scheduled for 2029.