Navigating Parliament: A Feat Not For the Faint of Heart

Monday, January 20th, 2020. I had circled, starred and highlighted this date in my planner (which, I rarely check- however, I digress) `when I was informed that this day would mark the beginning of my new internship. As I slipped on my trusty black suit that has been somewhat of a professional security blanket for me since my debate career in high school, the nervous-excitement of entering the unknown began to set in.

For my internship this semester, I am interning within the European Parliament, which is the directly- elected legislative body of the European Union. Much like Congress in the US, much of the legislative decision-making and debate happens in different committees, with a monthly plenary session in Strasbourg, France where members of Parliament will vote on new policies. I am a stagiaire for a member of the Parliament (MEP) and was eager to get to work. As I stood in front of the Spinelli Building for the first time on that grey Monday morning it suddenly dawned on me that I had no idea what to expect from my internship at all, which, upon reflection, was the best way for me to dive right into the organized chaos that is the European Parliament.

My first week in the office was a great introductory to the inner workings of Parliament. I did an immense amount of policy research, familiarized myself with the committees my MEP is a member of, and learned a lot about the economy, politics, and culture of my MEP’s Member State, Malta. One of the biggest struggles that I encountered while orienting myself in the workplace was the sheer size of Parliament itself. (The article in the hyperlink is the most relatable content I've read!)

With 705 members to accommodate in their own individual offices, 7 political parties, and the expansive voting floor called the hemi-cycle, Parliament physically is a colossal feat on its own. I often got lost running errands for my office, and occasionally had to send the embarrassing “help! I’m lost!” text to my office’s WhatsApp. By the end of my time in Brussels at the two-month mark, I had finally begun to navigate each of the separate buildings semi-confidently. Go figure!

One of my favorite memories of my time in Parliament was witnessing the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from Brexit. On January 31st, not even two weeks into my internship, my co-worker Becca leaned into our office and casually asked me “Wanna go watch Brexit with me?” My initial reaction was embarrassment because I didn’t know that there was a Brexit vote happening that day! I replied, “Yeah, what are they talking about today?” Becca looked at me, slightly perplexed and said “Dude, no, it’s happening today.”

The next hour consisted of Becca and I forcing our way throughout the labyrinth of reporters, security, MEPs, and other employees trying to get a front row seat to the historic vote. Luckily, my supervisor met us at a security checkpoint and we found a seat in the back of the hemi-cycle. The vote seemed somewhat ceremonial; Brexit had been so long in the making that Parliament felt exasperated and worn-out with the political back and forth. As I saw Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s UKIP party, stand up and shake his fists in victory, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

For me, Brexit embodies the current global political climate and the burgeoning new-era of isolationism, nationalism and Trump-like figure heads. Knowing that the European Union was established as a good-willed collective to protect and enhance Europe in the global sphere, I couldn’t help but leave Parliament that day feeling defeated. As I left the Spinelli building, I heard a British woman say to a colleague, “I’ve been here for over a decade, I feel like my time here was just wasted.” The coalitions, relationships, and economies severed with just one vote. Brexit was a reminder that politics is its own dynamic body of work. Things can be destroyed faster than they were created. Needless to say, I took a long nap after the work day.