Inside the EU bubble: Marta Polusik, assistant to a German MEP

I was born in Poland and raised in Germany, and I moved to Brussels two years ago for my current job as a parliamentary assistant to German MEP Arne Lietz. I mainly deal with topics to do with fair trade, especially women’s rights and sustainable clothing. We recently organised a best practice event with guests from India, Bangladesh and Spain, and we will be holding a fashion show in the spring.

Being a parliamentary assistant is an exciting, fast-paced job, and there is no real typical day. Due to the parliamentary calendar, every week is different. I go to a lot of meetings and working groups. I organise events, plan trips for my MEP, work on amendments and proposals and spend a lot of my time on the phone to other assistants and various organisations. When I have a quiet moment I try to read recent studies or articles relevant to my work. I use these to brief my MEP and keep abreast of the latest developments. We also get a tonne of emails. They all need to be answered with the parliamentary assistants who work in Arne’s home constituency of Saxony-Anhalt.

The best aspect of my job is that I meet and work with people from across Europe and around the world. You get to learn such a lot about other cultures, especially when you deal with development policy like I do. The team around me is fantastic – I’m lucky to be able to work with such a lovely bunch of people every day. But the job can be stressful at times, too. There’s a big workload, and it can be a challenge to coordinate the diary in a way that pleases everyone. In fact, that almost never happens!

Outside of work I love to stroll through Brussels’ evening markets and pretty, winding streets, and meet friends for a drink in one of the city’s many characterful bars. The city has a lot of great festivals, especially in the summer, so life never gets boring. I’m a fan of architecture and photography, and Brussels is the best place to explore both of these passions.

This article first appeared in The Bulletin winter 2017. Browse the magazine here, pick up a copy in newsagents or subscribe today...