Seven years ago, Schaake moved to Silicon Valley to work for Stanford University, with the aim of bridging the gap between politics, policy, and technology. She now describes her position as having shifted: where she once operated as a bridge-builder, she now speaks explicitly about the necessity of European digital sovereignty as the most pressing task of the current moment.

In the interview with Vrij Nederland, Schaake reflects on how the political and social climate surrounding technology and power has noticeably intensified in recent years. She points to the personal consequences that speaking openly can now entail, particularly when travelling to the United States. People in her circle advise her to write a lawyer’s phone number on her arm, in case something happens to her. Schaake describes the ability to speak freely from Europe as a luxury at this moment, rather than something that can be taken for granted.

She describes the current situation as Europe balancing on a razor-thin edge between bad and worse. With that characterisation, she underlines that the choices being made now in the areas of technology policy, data governance, and digital infrastructure carry significant consequences, and that there is little room for indecision or delay.