What encouraged you to go into politics?

It wasn’t much of a choice. I’ve had a burning desire to change my society, the world and to rectify injustice as long as I can remember. Therefore, I became a Social Democrat, as I believe this is the only political movement that manages to merge idealism with pragmatism, an international outlook with a strong foundation in the society you belong to. I remain a committed internationalist today. We need international cooperation to solve transnational challenges and learn best practices from each other. In politics as in ways of life. And no one but Social Democrats can manage to generate support for a popular, international progressive project outside big-city elites to the benefit of normal wage-earners.

If you could only change one thing in the world within seconds what would it be?

Stop climate change. Because it is the biggest global threat we face today and a driving force for many other global challenges in the world. Climate change increases flooding and hurricanes in one place, while causing droughts in other regions. These changes lead to increased starvation, hunger and poverty that again trigger resource conflicts and mass migration. And the income generated from our reliance on fossil fuels that causes much of the global warming is used to sustain undemocratic regimes which support extremist movements around the world.

What is your biggest wish for the future?

That we will leave a better, greener and more peaceful society and planet to our children.