The European parliament speaker was left red faced with anger after far-right Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke used the word “nigger” during a youth unemployment debate, Wednesday.

Korwin-Mikke in EP: photo - youtube screen shot

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group within the European Parliament has called on Korwin-Mikke to be disciplined after “outrageous and racist remarks” during Wednesday's plenary debate in Strasbourg.

Korwin-Mikke, who leads Poland's small New Right Congress party - which received 7.5 percent support in Poland during May's European parliamentary elections - declared in English that the minimum wage should be “destroyed.”

He said that “four million niggers” lost their jobs in the US as a result of President John F. Kennedy signing a bill on the minimum wage in 1961 (see video below).

He then claimed 20 million young Europeans were being treated as “negroes” as a result of the minimum wage.

Howls of outrage could be heard from other MEPs, as Korwin-Mikke finished his one-minute speech.

In an official statement, the S&D group called on the Presidency of the European parliament “to take strong action against far-right Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke.

“Mr Korwin-Mikke's behaviour is a political scandal and a shame for this House,” said S&D vice-president Jorg Leichtfried. “I urge him to apologize or step down from his mandate," the statement says.

MEP Cecile Kyenge, a former Italian minister, added that Korwin-Mikke's remarks had “stained the dignity of this parliament.”

“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. We must start fighting very hard to eliminate racism inside this Chamber and throughout Europe,” she added.

The 72 year-old Korwin-Mikke has left a trail of controversy since he emerged from the anti-communist opposition in the 1980s and last week caused outrage in Poland when he slapped a fellow Polish MEP in the face. (nh/pg)

MEP Korwin-Mikke uses 'n-word' in European Parliament