What made you join the green movement?
When I was seven years old, I wrote a letter to the German Cchancellor in protest against animal testing. And I got a response. Politics has fascinated me ever since. I grew up in Bonn, which at the time was still the capital of the Federal Republic. As a young activist in the peace and anti-nuclear movement, I was lucky enough to experience the dawning of the Greens hands on, and in Petra Kelly I found a young woman as a political role model for the first time. I closely followed how the Greens protested with wilted pine branches against forest dieback and environmental destruction. I have considered myself a Green ever since. I became a member when I returned to Bonn in 2010 after having lived abroad for 22 years.
Why EU politics?
We can only find answers to the biggest political challenges together, be it the climate crisis, energy transition, migration, free trade, future mobility or sustainable consumption. Nothing ends at an individual’s horizon - everything is interconnected. The European Union has a strong voice within this global network. It is characterised by its diversity, that which I am passionate about and intend to defend against right-wing populists.
I also appreciate the very idiosyncratic democratic decision processes at the European Parliament, where even relatively small parties in Europe with clear positions and a willingness to compromise can have an influence. I am familiar with these processes because I have worked at the European Parliament as an interpreter, so I know the procedures and I know the phases during which I can make a difference.
The work at European level motivates me personally because I have spent almost half of my life in Italy and have always been enthusiastic about getting to know other cultures and languages. My children have several nationalities. My work is also driven by their future, which I want to help shape in a fair, peaceful and environmentally-friendly way.
What do you want to fight for in the European Parliament?
I am particularly committed to equitable digitalisation, non-discriminatory algorithms and democratic, transparent platforms. At the moment, there is no justice in the digital world because it is controlled by just a small sector of society. I want to see everybody involved, especially women and people of colour. Digitalisation is fundamentally transforming our society. It will influence the way we educate in the future, who gets which jobs, what news we see and how we will live in old age.
I am interested in the development of artificial intelligence and advocate for a digital European communication platform, for more women in the tech world, for gender budgeting, and for simplified access to EU funds for smaller projects.
