Fellows in Residence
The Honorable Monica Frassoni
German Marshall Fund Fellow
Member, European Parliament
Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Monica Frassoni was raised in Italy and now represents Belgium in the European Parliament. Ms. Frassoni is Co-President of the Green/ALE (European Free Alliance) Party for Europe, the fourth largest and fastest growing of European Parliament political parties. A member of Parliament since 1999 she has become one of Europe’s most articulate spokespersons for human rights and the environment.
Frassoni visited Furman University as the Riley Institute German Marshall Fund Fellow from October 27 – November 1, 2002. On October 29, 2002 at 8 pm, she delivered an address, “Europolitics and the Environment,” in Hartness Pavilion.
Though still in her 30’s, Monica Frassoni has long been active in Italian and European politics. Since her graduation from the University of Florence with degrees in Political Science she has held a seriew of increasingly important political leadership positions beginning with the European Federalist Movement and including general Secretary of the European Organization of Young Federalists, the President of the European Coordinating Bureau of Youth NGOs, and Advisor to the Greens/EFA Group, where she championed the cause of European citizenship and the fundamental rights of citizens.
Since election to Parliament, M. Frassoni has become a member of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, the EU-South American Relations Committee and of the Mercosur Interparliamentary Delegation as well as Co-President of the Green/EFA Party.