Tatiana Bucci, a Holocaust survivor, appealed on Tuesday in the European Parliament for all the world's children to be able to live in peace and grow old. Bucci recalled the post‑war years and closed her speech with a message of hope: “Despite everything, life is beautiful”.
"Despite everything, life is beautiful": Holocaust survivor appeals for a dignified future for all children in the European Parliament
Tuesday, 27 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The European Parliament is the directly elected legislative body of the European Union, with 720 members (MEPs) elected every five years by citizens of all 27 member states. Portugal elects 21 MEPs through proportional representation.
The Parliament co-legislates with the Council of the EU on most EU law, approves the EU budget, and scrutinizes EU institutions including the European Commission. Its decisions affect Portuguese citizens through EU regulations on trade, agriculture, environmental standards, consumer protection, digital markets, and more.
Portuguese MEPs sit in European political groups aligned with their domestic parties — for example, PS MEPs in the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), PSD/CDS in the European People's Party (EPP), and Chega in the Patriots for Europe group. Key committees where Portuguese interests feature prominently include fisheries, cohesion policy, and economic affairs.
