Interview with researcher Isabel Estrada Carvalhais to mark Europe Day

To mark Europe Day on 9 May, we have launched a series of interviews with leading researchers and experts on European affairs, inviting them to reflect on the current situation facing our continent. At a time shaped by geopolitical tensions, social uncertainty and major global challenges, these conversations aim to provide insight and critical perspectives on Europe’s present and future.

In this third interview of the series, we turn to the work and experience of Isabel Estrada Carvalhais, who served as a Member of the European Parliament for Portugal from 2019 to 2024. During her mandate in the 9th European Parliament, she was actively involved in key policy areas such as agriculture and rural development, fisheries, regional development, and international relations, contributing to legislative work within the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the Committee on Fisheries, among others.

Beyond her parliamentary activity, Carvalhais combines an academic background in sociology and political science with extensive experience in research and higher education, having worked at the University of Minho. Her work has consistently focused on questions of democracy, social justice, rural development and European integration, as well as the role of citizens and institutions in strengthening democratic governance.

As part of this Europe Day initiative, she reflects on the current state of European democracy, the challenges facing the Union, and the evolving role of citizens and institutions in a rapidly changing political landscape. Her perspective offers a valuable bridge between academic analysis and political practice, contributing to a broader reflection on Europe’s present and future.

You can read the other interviews of this Europe Day series here.