Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy

Elżbieta Rafalska

Elżbieta Rafalska – university teacher, politician, local government activist, senator (Senate sixth term of office) and member of the parliament (sixth and seventh terms of the Sejm), member of Labour and Social Policy and Public Finances Sejm Committees as well as of Labour Protection Council, former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

She graduated with honours from the University of Physical Education in Poznań (branch in Gorzów Wielkopolski) and subsequently completed postgraduate studies at the University of Szczecin, specialising in remedial pedagogics and organisation and management of social welfare and social work. She completed several training courses in human resources management, quality management in institutions, and management of healthcare services. She obtained state authorisation to act as a member of supervisory boards in companies owned by the Treasury.

She was a lecturer at the University of Physical Education in Gorzów Wielkopolski, and then worked as an inspector for State Board of Education. In 1998, she was appointed as the director of Voivodeship Welfare Centre. In 1999-2002, she acted as the director of Social Welfare Department of Lubuskie Voivodeship Office. She was a lecturer of State Higher Vocational School in Gorzów Wielkopolski. In 1994, she was elected for Gorzów Wielkopolski City Council and was its member until 2005. In 2002 – 2005, she chaired the Committee for Family and Social Issues, and then was a deputy chairwoman of the Council. She was also the chairwoman of the club of councillors of Law and Justice party.

She is a deputy president of Lubuskie Regional Management of Law and Justice party. In 2005, she was elected a senator for the senate fourth term of office, from the list of Law and Justice. She was the chairwoman of Senate Committee for Territorial Self-government and State Administration. From 6 June 2006 to 5 April 2007, and again from 24 August 2007 to 3 December 2007, she was the secretary of state in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. In 2013, she became a member of Political Committee of Law and Justice. In 2009 and 2014 elections to the European Parliament she run MEP in Gorzów constituency. In 2007 and 2011 parliamentary elections, she was elected to the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, from constituency number 8, covering Lubuskie Voivodship.