Soraya Post

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Soraya Post

|honorific-suffix = MEP

|image = Soraya Post.jpg

|office = Member of the European Parliament

|term_start = 1 July 2014

|term_end = 2 July 2019

|constituency = Sweden

|birth_name = Soraya Viola Heléna Post

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|10|15|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Gothenburg, Sweden

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = {{flag|Sweden|name=Swedish}}
Feminist Initiative
{{flag|EU}}
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

|spouse =

|children =

|alma_mater = University of Gothenburg

|website =

}}

Soraya Viola Heléna Post (born 15 October 1956) is a Swedish politician who was a member of European Parliament from Sweden. She is a member of the Feminist Initiative, part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/23/feminist-voice-europe-elections-womens-rights|title=We need a feminist voice in Europe – these elections can be a new beginning|first=Caroline|last=DeHaas|work=The Guardian|accessdate=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131190956/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/23/feminist-voice-europe-elections-womens-rights|archive-date=31 January 2016|url-status=live}}

Career

Post has worked with questions about national minorities at Västra Götaland County justice and equality committee, and has also worked with question surrounding the Romani people and she also helped starting Agnesbergs folkhögskola in Gothenburg in 2007.{{cite news|title=Soraya Post upprörd över nedlagd utredning|url=http://www.gp.se/nyheter/g%C3%B6teborg/soraya-post-uppr%C3%B6rd-%C3%B6ver-nedlagd-utredning-1.620827|accessdate=30 May 2014|newspaper=GP.se|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623141011/http://www.gp.se/nyheter/g%C3%B6teborg/soraya-post-uppr%C3%B6rd-%C3%B6ver-nedlagd-utredning-1.620827|archive-date=23 June 2018|url-status=live}} She has been a commissioner at Sveriges Television.{{cite press release|title=Årsstämmor 2010|url=http://www.forvaltningsstiftelsen.se/arsstamma2010.html|accessdate=30 May 2014|newspaper=FS.se|date=30 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105739/http://www.forvaltningsstiftelsen.se/arsstamma2010.html|archive-date=31 May 2014|url-status=live}}

In February 2014, Post was chosen as the party's top candidate for the 2014 European Parliament election in Sweden.{{cite web|last=Ahlander|first=Johan|url=https://news.yahoo.com/swedish-feminist-party-wins-eu-seat-anti-racism-141337419.html|title=Swedish feminist party wins EU seat with anti-racism drive|publisher=Yahoo News|date=20 April 2011|accessdate=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220937/http://news.yahoo.com/swedish-feminist-party-wins-eu-seat-anti-racism-141337419.html|archive-date=27 May 2014|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/european-elections-2014-rise-swedens-feminist-initiative-party-1449509|title=European Elections 2014: The Rise of Sweden's Feminist Initiative Party|work=International Business Times|date=21 May 2014|accessdate=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225717/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/european-elections-2014-rise-swedens-feminist-initiative-party-1449509|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=live}} In the election on 25 May 2014, the Feminist Initiative won one seat in the European Parliament with Post taking the party seat.{{cite web|first=Mats J.|last=Larsson|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/soraya-post-vi-skapar-historia-i-hela-varlden/|title=Soraya Post: "Vi skapar historia i hela världen"|work=Dagens Nyheter|language=sv|date=21 May 2014|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524152732/http://www.dn.se/valet-2014/soraya-post-vi-skapar-historia-i-hela-varlden/|archive-date=24 May 2014|url-status=live}} On 7 June 2014, Post joined the S&D group in the European Parliament.{{cite news|title=Stor brittisk tidning pekar ut Soraya Post som extremist|url=http://www.helagotland.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=9877725|newspaper=HelaGotland.se|accessdate=7 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714140033/http://www.helagotland.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?articleid=9877725|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=dead}}

While Post's election has been widely seen as the party's first European representation,{{cite web|url=http://www.expressen.se/gt/nasta-bryssel-for-soraya-post-fi|title=Nästa Bryssel för Soraya Post|work=Expressen|accessdate=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527233937/http://www.expressen.se/gt/nasta-bryssel-for-soraya-post-fi/|archive-date=27 May 2014|url-status=live}} former Liberal People's Party MEP Maria Robsahm had in 2006 defected to the Feminist Initiative, representing the party in the European Parliament until 2009. Post however became the party's first elected MEP{{cite news|last=Stoeffel|first=Kat|title=Meet the EU Parliament's (Likely) First-Elected Feminist Party Member|url=http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/05/feminist-partys-first-eu-parliament-member.html|access-date=2014-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527054342/http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/05/feminist-partys-first-eu-parliament-member.html|archive-date=2014-05-27|url-status=live}} and the first Romani in Swedish history to be chosen as a candidate for a political party.{{cite web|author=Fredrik Mellgren |url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/historiskt-namn-toppar-fis-sedel_8975706.svd |title=Historiskt namn toppar FI:s sedel |language=sv |work=Svenska Dagbladet |date=9 February 2014 |access-date=26 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424163617/http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/historiskt-namn-toppar-fis-sedel_8975706.svd |archive-date=April 24, 2014}}{{Cite web |url=http://brannpunkteuropa.squarespace.com/previous-events/2018/5/21/soraya-post-the-situation-of-romani-people-in-europe |title=Soraya Post: The Situation of Romani people in Europe |access-date=2018-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623141527/http://brannpunkteuropa.squarespace.com/previous-events/2018/5/21/soraya-post-the-situation-of-romani-people-in-europe |archive-date=2018-06-23 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=http://womensuffrage.org/?p=22524 |title=A First: Sweden Elects Soraya Post of the Feminist Initiative Party to the European Parliament |access-date=2018-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623141301/http://womensuffrage.org/?p=22524 |archive-date=2018-06-23 |url-status=live}} Also, Post and Damian Drăghici from Romania were the only MEPs with Romani background at the time.{{cite news|title=Two Roma MEPs elected|url=http://euobserver.com/tickers/124378|accessdate=27 May 2014|newspaper=EUobserver|date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527212815/http://euobserver.com/tickers/124378|archive-date=27 May 2014|url-status=live}}

In addition to her committee assignments, Post served as a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on Western Sahara,[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_26-Western%20Sahara.pdf Members] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508153659/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_26-Western%20Sahara.pdf |date=2018-05-08 }} European Parliament Intergroup on Western Sahara. and was an outspoken supporter of the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, an organisation which campaigns for democratic reformation of the United Nations.{{Cite news|url=http://en.unpacampaign.org/statements/page/2/|title=Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly|access-date=2017-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928193718/http://en.unpacampaign.org/statements/page/2/|archive-date=2017-09-28|url-status=live|language=en-US}}

Soraya Post is also the initiator of the EU Roma Week, a yearly event that takes place in Brussels in connection to the International Roma Day on 8 April. The week consists of a series of events organized and co-hosted by the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Council of Europe, the City of Brussels, several Members of European Parliament (MEPs) from various political groups, the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI) and many civil society organisations.{{cite web|title=EU Roma week|url=https://www.ardi-ep.eu/roma-week-2018/|website=ARDI|access-date=2018-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402074135/https://www.ardi-ep.eu/roma-week-2018/|archive-date=2018-04-02|url-status=live}}

Personal life

Post has Romani ancestry through her mother, and she has been working actively for the rights of Roma people in Sweden and in Europe. Her father was a German-born Jew. {{cite web|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=4657&grupp=20695&artikel=5869071|title=Fi framstår som EU-valets mest federalistiska parti|publisher=Sveriges Radio|language=sv|access-date=29 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524093230/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=4657&grupp=20695&artikel=5869071|archive-date=24 May 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vgregion.se/sv/Vastra-Gotalandsregionen/startsida/Om-Vastra-Gotalandsregionen/Regionmagasinet/Regionmagasinet-2-10111/jag-fick-aldrig-halla-froken-i-handen |title=Jag fick aldrig hålla fröken i handen |publisher=Vgregion.se |language=sv |access-date=26 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306131743/http://www.vgregion.se/sv/Vastra-Gotalandsregionen/startsida/Om-Vastra-Gotalandsregionen/Regionmagasinet/Regionmagasinet-2-10111/jag-fick-aldrig-halla-froken-i-handen/ |archive-date=March 6, 2014}}

Debate over child marriages

Post's eldest daughter entered into an unofficial marriage/Romani engagement at sixteen years of age which was approved by the Romani community.{{cite web|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/allt-handlar-om-manskliga-rattigheter/|title=Allt handlar om mänskliga rättigheter|work=Dagens Nyheter|language=sv|access-date=30 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529225122/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/allt-handlar-om-manskliga-rattigheter/|archive-date=29 May 2014|url-status=live}} In 2014, the relationship led to public debate in Sweden where critics accused Post for holding a cultural relativistic position and not opposing child marriages. Post responded by referring to the relationship as an engagement, wrote that the engagement had happened 20 years ago and her position on the issue had evolved and that she clearly was against child marriages.Soroya Post (5 June 2014) [http://www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/article19009524.ab Det räcker inte att fördöma barngifte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314221353/http://www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/article19009524.ab |date=2016-03-14}} {{in lang|sv}} AftonbladetMaria Hagberg (9 June 2014) [http://www.svt.se/opinion/article2103785.svt ”Det privata är politiskt”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122740/http://www.svt.se/opinion/article2103785.svt |date=2016-03-04}} SVT