Co-President Cornelia Ernst (The Left in the European Parliament)
Cornelia Ernst has been a Member of the European Parliament for the Die Linke party since 2009. She is a Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE Committee) and a Substitute Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) as well as the Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Iran.
Prior to being elected in the European Parliament, Ms. Ernst was a Member of the Parliament of the German state of Saxony. At the same time, she was the Chairperson of the Saxon regional branch of her party.
She decided to enter politics following German reunification, outbreaks of racist violence in Germany and the arrival of people seeking protection from the war in Bosnia. Her main topics are fighting racism and promoting diversity, the right to asylum and home affairs topics.
Co-President Milan Brglez (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats)
Milan Brglez is a Slovenian political scientist and politician who served as Speaker of the National Assembly of Slovenia from 2014 to 2018. Brglez has been a Member of the European Parliament for Social Democrats – Socialni Demokrati party since 2019.
He is a Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), and a Substitute Member of the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).
Co-President Salima Yenbou (RENEW EUROPE)
Originally from Aulnay-sous-Bois, Salima Yenbou is passionate about education and training. She began her professional career as a teacher, then became head of a school and, until 2019, deputy head of a professional secondary school and teacher trainer. Involved in the voluntary sector from an early age, she became involved in politics and was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019.
Her vision of a multicultural, responsible, inclusive and open Europe is in line with the committees of which she is a member: the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI). In 2022 she also joined the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA).
Co-President Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana MEP (Greens/EFA)
Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana MEP is the first woman of African descent to be elected to the European Parliament from Germany. She is the Vice-Chair of the Development Committee (DEVE), the Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament and the Member of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as well as a Substitute Member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).
A dedicated advocate for equality and human rights, Dr. Herzberger-Fofana was previously a Local Councilor in her home town of Erlangen.
During her time as a local councilor, Dr. Herzberger-Fofana established “Black History Weeks” in the frame of the UN Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) to promote “recognition, justice & development” people of Afro-descent. As a teacher, she also led her school’s participation in the “Schools against racism, Schools with courage” programme. Both of these programmes work towards establishing understanding and trust between different communities and promoting the inclusion of Afro-German history within the wider German Society.
Co-President Romeo Franz (Greens/EFA)
Romeo Franz joined the European Parliament as a member in 2018 and was re-elected in 2019, being the first Sinto from Germany elected in the European Parliament. Mr. Franz is the Vice-Chair of the Culture and Education Committee (CULT) , a Substitute Member of the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). He is also the Chair of the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
Since 2014, he has been Managing Director of the Hildegard Lagrenne Foundation and has been involved in civil rights work to advance the situation of Romani people and fight antigypsyism for more than 20 years.
Vice-President Peter Pollák MEP (Group of the European People’s Party)
Peter Pollák MEP (PhD) is a Slovak politician elected to the European Parliament as a Member of the Ordinary people and Independent personalities (OLaNO) political party.
He is a Member of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) and a Substitute Member in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
In the national election in 2012, he was elected to the Slovak National Council as the first Deputy of Roma origin. Mr. Pollák has also served as the Slovak government Plenipotentiary for Roma communities. He has extensive knowledge of Roma realities from his time in government and previously as a university teacher, as well as a project manager in the non-governmental sector.
Co-President Patricia Caro Maya (The Left in the European Parliament)
Patricia Caro Maya holds degrees in Psychology and Research Psychology from UNED. Her primary focus lies in exploring the intricate relationship between racism and sexism through a psychosocial lens. Her research endeavors encompass a wide array of topics, including emotional well-being, perceptions of gender-based violence, the intersectional dynamics within political frameworks concerning Roma integration, and the associative movements of Roma women in Spain. She actively contributes to human rights advocacy, particularly emphasizing an intersectional approach, with a special focus on Rromnja and Kalí communities.
She is Member of Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Member of the D-UK Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and Substitute Member in LIBE Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.