Róża Maria Thun[1] (Róża Maria Barbara Fürstin von Thun und Hohenstein, néeWoźniakowska, born 13 April 1954), is a Polish politician, more usually known as Róża Thun than by her formal style of Countess and from 1990 her style changed to Princess.
In 1981, Thun married Franz, 5th Prince von Thun und Hohenstein (b. 1948), an economist. As the Head of the family, he nominally holds the title of Prince in Austria and Imperial Count.[3] Through her mother, Franz and Róża are 3rd cousins, as both share mutual descent from Count Friedrich Franz von Thun und Hohenstein (1810-1881) and his wife, Countess Leopoldine von Lamberg (1825-1902).[4][5]
Her formal style by courtesy upon marriage became Rosa Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein: Gräfin is the German equivalent rank to Countess. In 1990, when her husband succeeded as the Head of the family and nominally became Fürst, her style changed to Rosa Fürstin von Thun und Hohenstein.[6]
The couple have four children: a son Christoph and three daughters Maria Zita, Sophie Amélie, and Jadwiga Wanda.[2]
Citing disagreements over key policy areas like environmental protection, Thun left the Civic Platform, and later also the European People’s Party group, to join Poland 2050 and Renew Europe in 2021.[10]
Ryszard Czarnecki controversy
On 26 April 2009 – less than two months before the European elections – Ryszard Czarnecki, a Polish MEP for the Law and Justice Party, wrote a blog entry, describing Thun's "troubles" with the Polish National Electoral Commission.[11] According to Czarnecki, the Civic Platform intended to register her candidacy under the name of Róża Thun,[11] but the Commission refused, stating that according to the regulations, all candidates must appear under their full names on the ballot papers.[11] "And so, the voters will see Róża Maria Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein in her full grace",[11] Czarnecki wrote. He further asserted that "a Gräfin with a German-sounding name might do harm to the Civic Platform".[12][13]
On 20 May 2009, it was revealed that Czarnecki himself would appear on the ballot sheets not under his assumed Polish name of Ryszard Henryk, but as Richard Henry, since he was born in the United Kingdom.[13][14] Czarnecki stated that his situation is different, as he didn't choose his names, while Thun chose her surname by marrying her husband.[14] Thun retorted her name came out of love,[14] adding "I pity Richard Henry Czarnecki".[14]
In January 2018, Czarnecki compared Thun to a szmalcownik, people who blackmailed Jews in hiding during the Holocaust, for her criticism of the Polish government. As a result of these comments, Thun received death threats. In 2019, Czarnecki lost a libel case against Thun.[15]
Political positions
In November 2017, Thun joined a parliamentary majority by voting in favor of a resolution invoking Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, thereby potentially stripping Poland of voting rights in the EU for violating the common values of the bloc, including the rule of law.[16] Shortly after, her political opponents had pictures of Thun and five other Polish politicians strung from a makeshift gallows in a public square in Katowice.[16]
In 2020, Thun was among nearly six EPP members who voted to expel Tamás Deutsch from their parliamentary group after the latter had compared comments made by group leader Manfred Weber to the slogans of the Gestapo and Hungary’s communist-era secret police; Deutsch was eventually suspended but not expelled from the group.[17]
Honours
2017 - Internal Market and Consumer Protection Award[18]
Thun has been nominated for the prize of "best MEP" in 2011 and in 2013 by The Parliament Magazine in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection category. These prizes have been awarded since 2005, and nominations are made by European organizations, associations and institutions which monitor the workings of the EP. 3 names are shortlisted in each category, with MEPs voting for the winner. In 2017 she won the award in the internal market category.[19]
