Delano: What gets you out of bed in the morning?

: My cat wakes me up and the love for my work in the European Parliament gets me out of bed.

What’s something that most people don’t realise about the upcoming elections?

That European politics can change their lives for the better and that their voice matters to determine the future of Europe. Forces from both without and within the European Union are trying to weaken or even destroy our common European project. If people do not use their vote to decide their future, others will make that decision for them.

What does Europe mean to you?

Peace, unity, reconciliation, as growing up with the war stories of my grandparents starkly illustrated the horrors of European conflict to me. But also living united in diversity, making enriching human connections and fighting for a better future for everyone.

Which place in Luxembourg represent Europe to you?

The Bockfiels is the cradle of Luxembourg, my home country; but, standing there, you can also see the house of Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, and the Red Bridge, linking the old city of Luxembourg with Kirchberg, which hosts a number of European institutions. It represents to me the tight connection between Luxembourg, my motherland, and Europe, my home.

A shorter version of this interview first appeared in  of Delano magazine.