This week, we present to you a series about the new faces in the Chamber of Deputies.
Five people moved up into the Chamber of Deputies. In alphabetical order: Carlo Back, Djuna Bernard, Stéphanie Empain, Marc Hansen and Carole Hartmann.
Carole Hartmann from DP
The 31 year old lawyer was a candidate in the Eastern constituency. After Lex Delles got a ministerial office role, Carole Hartmann from Echternach moved up into the Chamber of Deputies.
As a pupil and student, Hartmann played in the national women's table tennis team. Nowadays, exercise provides her with a way to balance the stress of her day-to-day life. In the summer, she enjoys going for a run, cycling and playing tennis.
Hartmann doesn't get to spend much time at home, but striking a balance between her work, political engagements and her private life is very important to her.
In favour of her work in the Chamber, Hartmann wants to take a step back in her work as a lawyer. Completely stopping her work is, however, out of the question. She says that with adequate organisation, anything is possible.
Marc Hansen from Déi Gréng
Health is clearly one one of Marc Hansen's focal points, as the newly moved up politician of the Green party also works as a pharmacist. Claudia Kollwelter visited the 49 year old father of four children at his pharmacy to talk with him about health and his personal future.
To Marc Hansen it was of great importance to be part of the Chamber's Health Commission. As a pharmacist, says Hansen, you have a good level of understanding of the topic and are keen to look into the files and projects. An important topic in our country, for instance, are emergency services. He reminds us that particularly in rural areas, problems sometimes arise on weekends or evenings, when people have to travel long distances to access care.
Team work with all partners, says Hansen, as well as legal changes are required to improve the situation. Since 2012, he has been active in Käerjeng's Conseil Communal, and as he has now also entered the Chamber, less and less time remains for the pharmacy.
As an independent businessperson, he needs to ensure that the business keeps running, which, in this case, means reorganisation, faith in a team and a redistribution of tasks.
Given that Hansen lives in Käerjeng, but his pharmacy is in Oesling (in the north), public transport unfortunately isn't an option. Instead, he has decided to purchase an electric car - for Hansen this is an acceptable intermediate solution.
D'Djuna Bernard vun Déi Gréng
Our series began with the 26 year old, and therefore the youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies, Djuna Bernard from déi Gréng. Claudia Kollwelter had a chat with the long-standing FNEL scout about her passion for travelling and about her new role as the president of the Chamber's Cultural Commission.
For five months, Bernard backpacked solo through Africa, Australia, South-East Asia and India. This was a key experience in her personal development. It also marked the moment in which she decided to quit studying History at university and to switch to the social sector instead, turning her hobby into her profession.
Her path has been shaped by Scouting, which certainly informed her choice to go into the social sector: "Through scouts I got to experience volunteering, also with disadvantaged people." Until now, President of the Youth Conference, Bernard is keen to also get young citizens involved in politics.
She views culture as an important component of our society and it also has personal significance for her: " As a child, I used to be part of theatre group and even now, I enjoy going to the theatre." Thanks to her study of History, historical issues are also important to her. The "Kulturentwécklungsplang" (Cultural development plan) aims to provide a clear outline for the development of the cultural scene and culture politics and, as the President of the Cultural Commission, Bernard, looks forward to be part of this process.
The series at a glance
31 December 2018: Djuna Bernard
1 January 2019: Marc Hansen
2 January 2019: Carole Hartmann
3 January 2019: Carlo Back
4 January 2019: Stéphanie Empain
