Story highlights In debate, Janusz Korwin-Mikke said women were smaller, weaker and less intelligent

The European Parliament has started an investigation over his remarks

(CNN) The European Parliament has launched a hate speech investigation into a Polish politician after he stated that "women must earn less than men, because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent" during a debate this week on the gender pay gap.

Outraged by his comments Wednesday, another parliamentary member, Iratxe Garcia Perez of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, launched a forceful counterattack.

"I know it hurts and worries you that today women can sit in this house and represent European citizens with the same rights as you," she said. "I am here to defend all European women from men like you."

The president of the Socialists and Democrats Group also responded, urging European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Twitter to "sanction Mr. Korwin-Mikke for his shameful statements."

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