Hi - I feel for you. I was in a similar situation when I was just about to have a child. I ended up leaving that employer, but that might not be the answer for you. First things first - are you expected to go to these meetings? Will they implode without you? Can you decline and it wont be thought much of? Is it forever, or just for a while? Where I am (not Europe) I tend to see European countries as generally being progressive about workers rights, and European employers generally being progressive about work/life balance - can you talk to your bosses boss and explain how you come in early and thus leave a little early so you can get these other 'life' things done at a reasonable time? If you cant decline the meeting or talk to your higher ups about it in a reasonable manner, maybe you can claim you have to be home at a certain time due to family commitments? Like having to pick up your nephew from school or something. Employers don't need to know your whole life situation to know you have a non-movable commitment. Anyway, it looks like you may have to have a long and hard think about your role in this organisation if its not living up to what you consider to be your work/life balance - staying and growing angry and resentful can be worse for you in the long run than if you found another job.
Thanks for the input! Yeah, I think I'll go the "Oh, I have commitments!" route, because then they can't argue. I'll approach them with a couple of compromises, which would be kind of okay for me, in the meanwhile. I just want to get this whole "oh, you can work till 6? that's nice!" thing started. Or when I'll have kids in a few years I won't be able to reverse it. Thanks again :)