Delano: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Christophe Hansen: Usually, my youngest, very very early! But jokes aside, I get to get up everyday to do a job I love. I have the incredible privilege to have been entrusted to effect change, because that’s what politics are about.
What’s something that most people don’t realise about the upcoming elections?
The upcoming elections will determine the direction we take for the five years to come. And I think we have rarely been confronted with so many challenges, tough challenges, at once. So citizens need to use their vote, to make sure Europe is able to tackle those challenges and come out of it stronger. Because if they don’t use their voice, others will decide for them.
What does Europe mean to you?
To me, Europe is like a band of siblings. Siblings that can bicker and argue, but that ultimately will join forces elbow-to-elbow to get the job done. That’s how we stood up to Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. That’s how, confronted with a global pandemic, we teamed up to get vaccines and ventilators. That’s how we beefed up our energy independence in the middle of a freezing winter. That’s how we managed to pass legislation on a new migration pact, to make sure we get a system that strikes a balance between solidarity and responsibility. To me, Europe is like a band of siblings who understand that we can never be free until we are all free. That we can never be safe until we are all safe. It’s about leaving no one behind.
Which place in Luxembourg represents Europe to you?
Europe has a great history of tearing down walls and bringing peoples together. We have grown closer when so much stood to divide us. The Schengen area and the principle of free movement of goods, services, capital and people symbolise what the EU is about. It embodies our commitment to creating a unified and borderless Europe, promoting both economic and social ties between nations. Schengen fosters a sense of unity and interconnectedness in a very practical way. It contributes to a sense of a shared European identity and a common purpose.
A shorter version of this interview first appeared in of Delano magazine.