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Janusz Korwin-Mikke drew gasps of protest and angry responses as he argued women “must” earn less than men in the workplace because they are “weaker, smaller and less intelligent”. The 74-year-old MEP, who represents the remote region of Silesia at the European Parliament, bizarrely pointed out that there are no women in the world’s top 100 chess players to make his case.

But he was immediately rounded on by other members of the chamber who branded his views “insulting” and said he could not handle the fact women were able to debate with him on an equal footing. The extraordinary scenes unfolded during a late night debate in the Brussels parliament about the scandal of the gender pay gap in Europe and how the EU can address it.

NC Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke sparked fury with his remarks

EbS The unattached MEP said women were 'weaker and less intelligent' during a debate

Speakers pointed out that, at current rates, it will take women 70 years to catch up with men’s pay in Europe and that they are underrepresented in a number of high-profile fields including politics. But shortly into the debate Mr Korwin-Mikke, wearing a black suit and a bright red bow tie, rose to intervene on Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia-Perez’s speech with an extraordinary rant. He said to her: “Do you know which was the place in the Polish theoretical physics olympiad, the first place of women, for girls? “I can tell you - 800. Do you know how many women are in the first hundred of chess players? I tell you - no-one.” Ms Garcia-Perez watched on visibly bemused as the elderly Polish MEP offered up the irrelevant and seemingly randomly selected statistics.

EbS His remarks were condemned by Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia-Perez

GETTY Mr Korwin-Mikke previously courted controversy in the parliament with a stunt about Charlie Hebdo

Women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke

But that quickly turned to anger as he concluded: “Of course, women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent. “They must earn less, that’s all.” As gasps of shock and anger rippled across the chamber the Spanish MEP got back to her feet to refute his argument. She said: “Well, according to what you’re saying and according to your theory I wouldn’t have the right to be here as a member of parliament. “I know that you’re very upset and you’re very concerned about the fact that we women can represent citizens on an equal footing with you. “Now I think I need to defend European women against men like you.”

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