I started my series of interviews with Bart Staes of Groen!, the Flemish green party. Now, it’s time for Isabelle Durant from Ecolo, the green colleagues of Wallonia (the French speaking part of Belgium). They often work together and are using the same slogan in their campaign. Same country? Same political family? So that would be logical you say? Not in our country. But enough about regional differences, we are blogging about Europe. I present to you Isabelle Durant.
Bio
Age: 54
Studies: Nurse + a degree en politics, economy and sociology
Former parties: only Ecolo
What are the most important reasons why people must vote for you?
Durant: “Because the greens have a project called the Green New Deal. With this project we could solve the crises, create new jobs while we combat global warming. ”
Is this your first time Europe?
Durant: “It’s the second time that I am up a European list. I was a candidate in 2004. I stood on the second place, but didn’t get elected.”
Is your programme for the regional elections very different from the programme for the European elections?
Durant: “No, it are the same topics, same proposals but applied to European level and not to regional level. The major differences are matters concerned with the Lisbon treaty, the European defence strategy and the European foreign policy.”
Is the possible entry of Turkey high on your party’s topic list?
Durant: “The European Greens are in favour of the entry of Turkey, but only if the conditions of Copenhagen are met (= new member states require having a stable democratic government which respects the rule of law, and its corresponding freedoms and institutions.) Opening the gate bit by bit, may help to change the civilian and political situation in Turkey.”
What are your 3 main goals as a Member of Parliament?
Durant: “1. To make the European dossiers comprehensible for everyone, to bring Europe closer to the people.
2. To work on a decent and good follow-up for the Kyoto plan.
3. To affirm that the Greens are the most consequent in their votes and the choices they make.”
If you could change one thing about the working of the European Union or European Parliament what would that be?
Durant: “Not all decisions have to be made with anonymity, now because every member has veto right; it’s hard to implement a common policy.”
Which principle of the European Union or European Parliament can’t ever be touched?
Durant: “The research into forming alliances and compromises.”
Do you think the Belgian people underestimate the importance of Europe and its Parliament?
Durant: “Yes, they do underestimate it. There’s also a lack of knowledge. But that is also the fault of the politicians. They don’t really inform the people about Europe and when they do they often talk about it in a negative way.”
If you could chose – regardless of the outcome of the elections – who gets to take the place of Barroso as President of the European Commission. Who would it be and why?
Durant: “Rasmussen, he is a credible man with a vision for Europe. He’s not just a representative of the big countries and the big lobby groups, he represents everyone.”
(10 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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