(STRASBOURG) - A far-right Polish MEP outraged lawmakers gathered in the European Parliament on Wednesday by comparing the continent's unemployed youth to "n**ers" in the US South.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke, the outspoken leader of the royalist and libertarian Congress of the New Right party, delivered the remark during a speech to deputies decrying the existence of minimum wage laws.

Comparing job-seeking youth to black labourers in the American South during the 1960s, Korwin-Mikke said: "Four millions humans lost jobs. Well, it was four million n**ers. But now we have 20 millions Europeans who are the Negroes of Europe.

"Yes, they are treated like Negroes!

"We must destroy the minimum wage and we must destroy the power of trade unions," the 72-year-old added, before being shouted down in the parliament session.

The Socialist coalition immediately called on Korwen-Mikke to apologise or resign over what it called the "worst insult of racist discrimination and humiliation".

"What Mr. Korwin-Mikke has preached did not only offend those that have a different skin colour, but everyone who is inspired by the European values of dignity and equality," said Italian Socialist Cecile Kyenge, who is of Congolese origin.

Korwin-Mikke had already stirred controversy during campaigning for EU elections in May by claiming Adolf Hitler "was not aware of the extermination of the Jews".