#TheSchumanFiles What is lobbying, anyway? What really goes on inside the European Parliament when it comes to influence and politicians?

In our most recent Schuman File, "Lobbying: The Competitive Sport of Attracting Attention", we interviewed Lara Wolters, Member of the European Parliament. Join us as we learn more about the people who walk the halls of the EP, and the tricks pesky lobbyists use to get the ear of a politician.

If you've been following the political corruption scandal "Qatargate", you may already be familiar with MEP Wolters' outspoken stance on Qatar's shady practices. Earlier this year, she spoke about being misled by some of the suspects implicated in Qatargate on the podcast EU Scream. Needless to say, Lara is already quite familiar with lobbying tactics within the European Parliament.

In a democracy, all sides should be heard - that's what makes a process democratic. But to what extent does lobbying play into this process, and how does this affect politicians like Lara? She sat down with us to tell us more about her experiences as an MEP at the European Parliament.

Stay tuned to get the scoop on what really goes on inside the EP! ✨Special thanks to MEP Lara Wolters.

-- ⌚TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Meet Lara Wolters 00:30 How to spot a lobbyist 01:33 Typical day in the life of an MEP 02:26 How do lobbyists influence laws? 03:58 Casually bumping into you in the hallways 05:07 Rules for gifting MEPs 06:25 Conclusion: Rules & Intuition

-- Thanks for watching!