5 Questions with... Ernest Urtasun

Ernest Urtasun (ES, Greens/EFA) is a member of Parliament’s FEMM and ECON committees.

Photo credit: European Parliament Audiovisual


1 which person you have worked with has most inspired you in your career, and how?

I was the spokesperson for the Federation of Young European Greens 15 years ago, together with Ska Keller. For me, she has been a generational leader, a tireless politician and activist for a better Europe.

2 how would you describe your political/leadership style in three words?

A team builder - with communication skills, although sometimes a bit unorganised.

3 what was the most inspirational and influential book you have read and why?

Primitive Rebels by Eric Hobsbawm. A tale about the social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries and primitive protests against social injustice, written by one the most influential historians of all times.

4 what do you do in your free time to relax and unwind?

There is always music playing around me, I love reading music magazines and attending festivals. I am also an amateur piano player, but what really makes me forget about everything is when I go to the football stadium to see FC Barcelona play. Messi is something special.

5 what is the most humbling thing you have experienced in your career?

Several years ago I was invited to an online TV show conducted by an unknown political scientist called Pablo Iglesias. I never though that the guy seated in front of me would be capable of creating the biggest political movement that Spain has know in its recent history. He is now Vice-president of the Government and a dear friend.

Read the most recent articles written by The Parliament Magazine - The Parliament's November print edition is out