Do you see your age as an impediment to your political work or an advantage?
I don't think it plays a huge role.
Are you taken seriously by older politicians or voters?
Yes – I believe people do take me seriously.
If you are a parent, how do you balance life/work?
I am not.
How do you handle public criticism of you or your political allies on social media?
I don't mind :-)
Do you find that you are assigned/choose specific work dossiers because of your age?
Some digital files are easier for people with some digital background – so maybe.
What changes could be made in the EP's work so that it has more contacts/relevance with/for young people?
A youth check before legislation could be cool – but that would be more for the European Commission.
What kind of conversations did you have with your friends/contacts after Qatargate?
I was jokingly asked where my stash of cash is – nearly all of my friends and family had heard about the scandal – even though some had rarely or even never heard of the work of the European Parliament.
What changes would you like to see in the EP's work in light of this, but which you're sceptical will ever take place?
I am fighting with a range of MEPs for improvement in our rules of procedure, specifically: asset declarations at the beginning and end of the mandate, incl. yearly updates, a ban on side income if related to organisations registered under the transparency register, the publication of all side income (with the name of client, if its consulting work), the publication of all meetings related to Parliamentary work. I really hope we will get all of these ideas through!!
The most important files Boeselager worked on for the last legislative term 2019-2023:
Report on Parliament’s estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2022
Electoral rights of EU citizens in European Parliament elections
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