In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, PhD in Sociology from the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), leader of the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) from 1981 to 1996, Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 (European People’s Party (EPP)), from 1999 to 2004 (Citizens’ Movement for Change (MCC)), from 2004 to 2009 and since 2014 (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)) and Delegate-General of the European Democratic Party (EDP) since 2004, explains how he first became interested in Europe in his youth following his experiences in the aftermath of the Second World War. He also describes his university and political career, mentioning his PhD thesis entitled ‘The Commission of the European Communities: a sociological essay on a captive organisation’, in which he analysed the Commission’s management methods and its role in the Community system.