From theory to practice

This semester I was given the opportunity to work at the European Parliament (EP). This institution originated from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) deal in 1951, when France joined forces with West Germany to control both materials, but also to ensure that Germany wouldn’t get power hungry again. However, as time passed by, more countries showed interest in joining. It went from Belgium, France, West Germany, Luxembourg, Italy and the Netherlands, to now a total of 27 countries. In order for each country to have a fair representation, there are Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) that voice their countries concerns. The number of MEPs vary with the population size of each member country, so according to the official website of the EP, there are currently 705 MEPs. The official website also states that the EP is known to be the legislative assembly of the EU, and consists of the following functions: insures that the European Institutions are working correctly and democratically, have a stronger say when electing the President of the European Commission, and lastly, they share powers with the Council of the European Union when dealing with the EU budgets and different legislations.

You might be wondering what exactly I do at the EP, well, I work for a German right wing party, which has certainly given me a completely different experience than of my colleagues, who were placed in left winged parties. It has been especially interesting hearing my offices views and seeing how some have challenged the pluralistic ideals of EU integration. This has been proven by one of my primary tasks, where I’ve been researching about poverty migration as a consequence of the freedom of movement in the EU (since my office wants to publish a book about it this year). We’ve focused on Romania, Bulgaria, France and Ireland. Nevertheless, I was asked to expand my horizons on non-EU states and countries too, such as, California, New York, Massachusetts, DC, China and India, so that the book can compare homelessness in developed and developing countries. Along with one of my supervisors, we’ve interviewed certain people from these countries in order to obtain primary sources and know who/which organizations to contact when traveling there. I’m glad to be part of such a current topic, especially since it’s something the EU has been discussing and attempting to find solutions on. According to the European Data Journalism Network, southern Europe’s migration has only increased since the enlargement. About 1/5 of Romania’s population lives somewhere else in Europe and in 2019, Germany reported having 340,000 Bulgarians.

Besides the several homelessness and social housing books/articles I’ve read – most in either English or French – I’ve also read books about political parties, such as Gauche Radicale. This book described a range of current events that have led to violent acts, something my office showed interested in further investigating so they can be prepared in answering questions to the public. In addition, I’ve been to committees that sparked my interest, varying from topics from Ample, to Foreign Affairs, to the EU´s 2020 budget (where Marie Lepan spoke one in of them). Lastly, the EP sponsors events and brings guest speakers to talk about a variety of issues. From the ones offered, I’ve been to Timothy Garton Ash´ book talk on The Revolution of 1989, as well as The Dilemma of Disinformation: How should Democracies Respond by a Stanford professor who explained how political disinformation is created and spread.

This internship has made me become more aware of the different perspectives the seven main political parties present regarding all issues the Parliament discusses. It has been very interesting hearing their arguments and having enriching conversations. Also, I’ve enjoyed furthering my language skills by speaking French, Spanish or Portuguese whenever I can. Being able to do that has been one of my favorite things about there, for it’s extremely gratifying to see how diversity is prevalent and valued. In addition, my goals for this semester have certainly been met. I’ve networked, been introduced to several different APA´s (Parliamentary Assistants) along with other positions as well, I’ve transferred my knowledge to hands on projects, seen how the professional world works, as well as how EU matters are discussed and solved.

I find it extremely interesting how I went from researching about all the different EU institutions for Furman’s class and my European Union Politics class in Vesalius College, to interning in one of them. Not only that, but also been able to see in person the Court of Justice in Luxembourg or some of the many National Parliaments in my weekend trips to Stockholm, Dublin and Edinburgh. It has been great sharing experiences with my Furman colleagues, especially those that intern in the same institution as I do, along with those that are in the Scottish Parliament. All of us are always learning from each other since we’ve been performing different tasks and attending different meetings. I’m proud to say that this semester has been one of a lot of growth professionally, intellectually and academically.