Andrzej Szejna

Andrzej Szejna
Name	Andrzej Szejna
Birth date	1971
Birth place	Rzeszów, Poland
Nationality	Polish
Occupation	Politician, jurist, academic
Party	Democratic Left Alliance (Poland), New Left
Office	Member of the European Parliament
Alma mater	University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University

Andrzej Szejna is a Polish politician, jurist and academic who has served as a Member of the European Parliament and held roles in Polish national ministries. He is associated with the Democratic Left Alliance (Poland) and its successor, the New Left (Poland), and has been active in European social and economic policy debates. His career spans legislative work, ministry appointments, university teaching and involvement with international institutions.

Early life and education

Born in Rzeszów, Szejna attended secondary education in Podkarpackie Voivodeship before studying law at the University of Warsaw. He pursued postgraduate studies at the Jagiellonian University and undertook research linked to the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. During his student years he engaged with youth movements linked to the Polish Socialist Party tradition and participated in seminars organized by the European Commission and the United Nations training programs.

Political career

Szejna began his political trajectory in the post-Solidarity (Polish trade union) era, affiliating with the Democratic Left Alliance (Poland) and later the New Left (Poland). He served as an advisor in ministries tied to Labour and Social Policy matters and held positions within the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland during administrations shaped by figures such as Leszek Miller and Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz. Elected to the Sejm in national elections, he worked on committees dealing with social welfare, employment, and European integration, engaging with counterparts from Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on cross-border policy coordination. He has been active in party structures alongside politicians like Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz and Grzegorz Napieralski.

European Parliament service

As a Member of the European Parliament, Szejna sat with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group and participated in plenary sessions at the European Parliament in Strasbourg and Brussels. He served on committees including the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Legal Affairs, and delegations for relations with Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. Szejna engaged in legislative dossiers related to the European Union's social pillar, the European Social Fund, and directives coordinated with the European Commission under presidents such as Jose Manuel Barroso and Jean-Claude Juncker. He collaborated with MEPs from groups like the Party of European Socialists and exchanged positions with representatives from Sweden, Belgium, and Portugal.

Academic and professional work

Parallel to his political roles, Szejna lectured at institutions including the University of Warsaw and contributed to research at the Polish Academy of Sciences. He published analyses on labour law and social policy drawing on comparative studies involving the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and national courts in Germany and France. He participated in conferences hosted by the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, and the OECD and cooperated with think tanks such as the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. His academic output engaged with scholars from the London School of Economics, Harvard University, and the University of Oxford.

Political positions and policies

Szejna has advocated for strengthening the European Social Fund and promoting labor mobility measures consistent with jurisprudence from the Court of Justice of the European Union. He supported reforms aligning with proposals from Guy Verhofstadt's and François Hollande's social agendas, and he often emphasized cooperation with European Trade Union Confederation initiatives and standards in EU social dialogue. On foreign policy, he backed enhanced ties with Ukraine and engagement with NATO partners including United States, while favoring negotiated approaches in relations with Russia. He has taken positions on fiscal coordination reflecting debates involving the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund, and national finance ministries such as Ministry of Finance (Poland).

Personal life and honors

Szejna is married and resides in Warsaw, participating in cultural life connected to institutions such as the National Museum, Warsaw and the Polish National Opera. He received recognitions from civic organizations and was commended in parliamentary groups linked to social rights and legal reform; his mentions include acknowledgments from non-governmental bodies like Transparency International (Poland) affiliates and awards in policy forums hosted by the European Commission. He continues to engage with academic networks tied to the University of Warsaw and transnational bodies such as the Council of Europe and the European University Institute.

Category:Polish politicians Category:Members of the European Parliament for Poland