The European Parliament in Strasbourg has voted to lift parliamentary immunity from four Polish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including Grzegorz Braun, in a move that clears the way for national proceedings to advance.
The decision follows a recommendation by the Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI).
While the vote covered several politicians, it is Braun’s case that has drawn particular attention due to the nature and symbolism of the allegations against him.
Grzegorz Braun is set to face legal proceedings in Poland over his alleged disruption of commemorations in Jedwabne, a site of profound historical sensitivity due to its association with the 1941 massacre of Jewish residents during the Second World War.
According to the JURI committee’s assessment, Braun is accused of obstructing access to the memorial site during the 84th anniversary commemorations. Reports indicate that he and a group of associates positioned themselves on a public road, deliberately blocking traffic and disregarding repeated instructions from police officers to clear the area.
The incident has been interpreted by critics as a politically charged act at a site central to debates over historical memory and responsibility in Poland. Braun, a long-standing controversial figure in Polish politics, has frequently courted attention for his nationalist rhetoric and confrontational style.
The European Parliament’s decision does not determine guilt or innocence. Instead, it removes the procedural protection that normally shields MEPs from legal action while in office. As the institution has repeatedly emphasised, the lifting of immunity “does not imply a verdict”, nor does it affect the mandate of the member concerned.
In practice, Braun remains an MEP, but Polish judicial authorities are now free to proceed with investigations or trial proceedings where applicable.
This is not the first time Braun has faced such a decision. It marks the fifth occasion on which the European Parliament has voted to lift his immunity during the current legislative term, underlining the extent of ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding him.
