Under the patronage of the European Parliament, the Simulation du Parlement européen Canada-Québec-Europe (SPECQUE), brings together dozens of students from European and Canadian universities, as well as from North Africa and Central America. This is the world’s largest French-speaking European Parliament simulation.
For one week, participants take on the roles of European Parliament actors – Euro-MPs, lobbyists, parliamentary journalists, committee chairs, etc. – and take part in a faithful recreation of the daily lives of European elected representatives.
Absent from the event since 2013, UCLouvain returned last year for the 21st edition, in Montreal. The five students who made up the university delegation had been well prepared for their mission, notably through meetings with specialists in European politics. They also benefited from the sponsorship of two UCLouvain professors, Olivier De Schutter and Edoardo Traversa. They raised the necessary funds for their stay thanks to the help of, among others, their faculties, the university, the Louvain Foundation and the Student General Assembly (AGL).
Today, a new delegation is preparing for the 2019 edition of SPECQUE, which will take place in Toulouse and Bordeaux. A larger delegation – composed of eight students, three of whom were present last year – is just as determined to be well trained in the roles it will have to play. In this spirit, it will join other Belgian delegations this month in Bruges for a mini-simulation of the European Parliament. The delegation has already met the head of the European Parliament Service of the Permanent Representation of France to the EU. It will be trained more specifically in role plays and parliamentary negotiations.
Contact the delegation: specque.uclouvain@gmail.com
Photo: 2018 UCLouvain delegation. Left to right: Charles Lurquin, Valentine Foucart, Thomas Debiève, Julie Lefèvre, Gaël Boven.