BRUSSELS—The European Parliament voted Wednesday to dismiss one of its vice-presidents, Ryszard Czarnecki of Poland, after he compared a rival Polish parliament member to a Nazi collaborator.

The European lawmakers voted 447-196, reaching the two-thirds hurdle required to remove Czarnecki from his position.

Czarnecki, who was one of 14 vice-presidents, will continue to be a member of the parliament in Strasbourg, France, representing Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party.

Read more: Polish president signs controversial bill that bans attributing nation to Holocaust crimes

Last month Czarnecki called Roza Thun, a European Parliament lawmaker from Poland’s opposition Civic Platform party, a “shmaltsovnik,” a derogatory term for the Poles who blackmailed Jews, or Poles hiding Jews, during the Nazi German occupation of Poland. </s> Ryszard Czarnecki, who served as one of the parliament's 14 vice presidents under Antonio Tajani, was relieved of his duties after he called Roza Thun, a rival parliamentarian from Poland's liberal-conservative Civic Platform party, a "szmalcownik”.

‘Szmalcownik’ is a derogatory term, used to describe a Polish person who collaborated with the Nazis during German occupation in the Second World War.

The insult came after Ms Thun told a German broadcaster that Poland’s ruling PiS (Law and Justice) party, which has repeatedly locked horns with the EU, was moving the Eastern European country towards a dictatorship.

Speaking after his dismissal, Mr Czarnecki, who is a member of the PiS, said "I have been faithful to my views" in castigating lawmakers who complain about Poland abroad. </s> STRASBOURG: The European Parliament removed Polish lawmaker Ryszard Czarnecki as the assembly's vice president on Wednesday after he insulted a fellow Polish MEP by comparing her to a Nazi collaborator.

MEPs voted by 447 votes to 196 to strip Czarnecki, of Poland's ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, of the largely ceremonial office for "serious misconduct".

Czarnecki, 55, last month branded MEP Roza Thun a "szmalcownik" -- an insult referring to Polish collaborators during World War II who handed over Jews to the Nazis for money.

Czarnecki, who is one of 14 European Parliament vice presidents, then refused to apologise during a radio interview.

In January, heads of the main political groups wrote to the parliament president Antonio Tajani to "denounce an unacceptable and degrading declaration" and ask for sanctions for "this deplorable attitude".

The spat comes in the midst of an ongoing crisis between the EU and the PiS-led government in Warsaw over highly controversial judicial reforms which Brussels says threaten the rule of law.

The EU has threatened to impose unprecedented sanctions that could strip the Polish government of its voting rights in Brussels.

"It's good that so many people are shocked, we cannot tolerate that," Thun told AFP, who had criticised the nationalist policy of the current Polish government on Franco-German broadcaster Arte.

Czarnecki remains a member of parliament and a new vice president must now be chosen from his European Conservatives and Reformists political group, which also includes Britain's ruling Conservative party. </s> The European Parliament has voted to dismiss one of its vice presidents, Ryszard Czarnecki of Poland, after he compared a rival Polish parliament member to a Nazi collaborator.

Last month Czarnecki called Roza Thun, a European Parliament lawmaker from Poland's opposition Civic Platform party, a "szmalcownik," a derogatory term for the Poles who blackmailed Jews during the Nazi German occupation of Poland, after she had criticized Poland's government. Parliamentary party leaders called for his dismissal over "serious misconduct."

Poland's nationalist-conservative Law and Justice party has been criticized by Israel and the U.S., among others, for measures including a new law penalizing certain statements about the Holocaust.

Poland's Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said Tuesday that Czarnecki went "too far" but that dismissing him would violate freedom of speech. </s> BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Parliament voted Wednesday to dismiss one of its vice presidents, Ryszard Czarnecki of Poland, after he compared a rival Polish parliament member to a Nazi collaborator.

The European lawmakers voted 447-196, reaching the two-thirds hurdle required to remove Czarnecki from his position.

Czarnecki, who was one of 14 vice presidents, will continue to be a member of the parliament in Brussels, representing Poland's ruling Law and Justice party.

Last month Czarnecki called Roza Thun, a European Parliament lawmaker from Poland's opposition Civic Platform party, a "szmalcownik," a derogatory term for the Poles who blackmailed Jews in hiding during the Nazi German occupation of Poland.

His words came after Thun criticized the Polish ruling party in a German TV broadcast, accusing it of moving the country toward "dictatorship."

Parliamentary party leaders called for Czarnecki's dismissal over "serious misconduct."

After Wednesday's vote, Czarnecki told the Polish state news agency PAP that "I have been faithful to my views" in criticizing politicians who complain about Poland abroad.

Josef Weidenholzer, vice president of the EU Parliament's Socialists and Democrats group, said Czarnecki's comment "went far beyond what is acceptable political discourse."

The development comes as relations between Poland's nationalist-conservative Law and Justice party and most of its international partners become increasingly strained. Recently it has been criticized by Israel and the U.S. for a new law penalizing certain statements about the Holocaust, seen as an erosion of free speech.

Poland's Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said Tuesday that Czarnecki went "too far," but said dismissing him would violate freedom of speech.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> "Mr Czarnecki (ECR, Poland) was obliged to give up the role of Vice-President after he described fellow MEP Róża Thun (EPP, PL) as a "shmaltsovnik" (a deeply offensive Polish term for someone who blackmailed Jews, or Poles protecting Jews, during the Nazi occupation)," the statement read.

According to the statement, 447 parliamentarians voted in favor of dismissing Czarnecki, while 196 voted against the move. </s> European Parliament lawmakers voted 447-196 on Wednesday in favor of dismissing Ryszard Czarnecki, an MEP for Poland's nationalist-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party.

Czarnecki, who served as one of the parliament's 14 vice presidents under Antonio Tajani will continue serving as a member of European Parliament.

Read more: Poland: How feasible is a 'Polexit?'

The PiS lawmaker was dismissed after he called Roza Thun, a rival parliamentarian from Poland's liberal-conservative Civic Platform party, a "szmalcownik" — a derogatory term referring to Poles who blackmailed Jews in hiding during the Nazi German occupation.

His slur came after Thun had told a German broadcaster that the ruling PiS party was moving the country towards a "dictatorship."

Wednesday's vote marked the first time that the EU's legislature has ever used its powers to dismiss a senior office holder.

Following Wednesday's plenary session in Strasbourg, Czarnecki told Poland's state news agency PAP, "I have been faithful to my views" in chiding lawmakers who complain about Poland abroad.

Josef Weidenholzer, the vice president of the parliament's Socialists and Democrats group, said Czarnecki's comment "went far beyond what is acceptable political discourse."

Jo Leinen, an MEP from Germany's Social Democrats tweeted: "Attacking other members with Nazi slogans is a no go."

Ahead of the vote, Poland's Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz admitted that Czarnecki had gone "too far" with his remarks, but said dismissing him would violate freedom of speech.

The Polish lawmaker had in the past also compared Poland's EU membership to its time as a Soviet satellite state.

Read more: Poland's new 'Holocaust law' widely condemned in Israel

Czarnecki's dismissal came as the PiS government attracted an array of international criticism, particularly from the US and Israel, over a controversial new law that penalizes certain statements about the Holocaust. The legislation allows the government to jail anyone who, "publicly and against the facts," suggests that Poles or Poland had any involvement in Nazi war crimes committed during World War II.

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dm/sms (dpa, AFP, AP) </s> BRUSSELS — The European Parliament voted Wednesday to dismiss one of its vice-presidents, Ryszard Czarnecki of Poland, after he compared a rival Polish parliament member to a Nazi collaborator.

The European lawmakers voted 447-196, reaching the two-thirds hurdle required to remove Czarnecki from his position.

Czarnecki, who was one of 14 vice-presidents, will continue to be a member of the parliament in Strasbourg, France, representing Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party.

Last month Czarnecki called Roza Thun, a European Parliament lawmaker from Poland’s opposition Civic Platform party, a “shmaltsovnik,” a derogatory term for the Poles who blackmailed Jews, or Poles hiding Jews, during the Nazi German occupation of Poland.

His words came after Thun criticized the Polish ruling party in a German TV broadcast, accusing authorities of moving the country toward “dictatorship.”

Parliamentary party leaders had called for Czarnecki’s dismissal over “serious misconduct.”

After Wednesday’s vote, Czarnecki described the move against him as “anti-Polish,” and said he does not regret defending Poland against opposition politicians who criticize Poland abroad.

“I have been faithful to my views,” Czarnecki told PAP, the Polish state news agency.

The European Parliament denied in a statement that the move was aimed against Poland.

Josef Weidenholzer, vice-president of the EU Parliament’s Socialists and Democrats group, said Czarnecki’s comment “went far beyond what is acceptable political discourse.”

The development comes amid increasingly strained relations between Poland’s nationalist-conservative Law and Justice party and most of its international partners from Europe to the Middle East.

The country has recently been criticized by Israel and the U.S. for a new law penalizing certain statements about the Holocaust, seen as an erosion of free speech. An overhaul of Poland’s judicial system, which gives the ruling party control over the courts, has also been condemned by the European Commission.

Last summer he was heavily criticized for expressing pleasure that shots were fired at a rescue ship trying to aid refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.

He tweeted “At last!!!” in reaction to information that the Libyan coast guard fired shots at a Spanish NGO rescue ship.

This version corrects the location of the European Parliament to Strasbourg, France, not Brussels. </s> David Sassoli has been a center-left, Democratic Party (PD) member of the European Parliament since 2009. His delegation is the second largest within the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the assembly.

A former vice-president of the European Parliament, 63-year-old Sassoli is known to lawmakers for chairing plenary sessions in Strasbourg.

Speaking ahead of the vote, the Florentine lawmaker said: "Europe will be stronger only with a Parliament which plays a more important role."

A graduate of political science, he worked on newspapers in Rome before becoming a reporter for the TG3 channel in 1992 and then a news presenter for TG1. He became deputy director of the channel in 2007.

He left journalism to become a European parliamentary candidate for the PD, representing the Central Italy district and became Vice President of the European Parliament in 2014. He was also a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.

Re-elected in 2019, he was proposed by the S&D as its candidate for parliamentary president and was elected in the second round with 345 votes.

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The European Parliament votes 447–196 to dismiss Ryszard Czarnecki (PiS) as one of its 14 vice-presidents, for calling fellow Polish parliamentarian Róża Thun (Civic Platform) a "szmalcownik" (meaning Nazi collaborator). It is the first time that the parliament invokes the powers of Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union to dismiss a senior office holder. Czarnecki remains a Member of the European Parliament.