From GP to high-tech minister: Obertin's digital mission

In her previous professional life, Stéphanie Obertin was a general practitioner. During the coronavirus pandemic, she was president of the Cercle des Médecins Généralistes. After the parliamentary elections in 2023, the 51-year-old took up a government post and became Minister for Digitalisation and for Research and Higher Education.

Lëtzebuerger Journal: You do your job so discreetly that there are probably people who have never heard of you. Among all the ministers, you might the great unknown.

Stéphanie Obertin: Perhaps this is also due to my departments, which are rather discreet. I'm not exactly in the line of fire with my topics, but that doesn't mean they are any less important.

That may be true, but at official appearances and in photos you often seem as if public attention makes you a bit uncomfortable. You are definitely not a natural-born politician like your party colleague Xavier Bettel, for example, because people like him usually crave the spotlight and can't get enough attention.

Xavier Bettel has been in politics all his life, whereas I've only really been involved for two years now. I also used to be a doctor, which is a rather discreet profession.

Do you actually enjoy working in government?

I actually enjoy it very much. It's a challenge to do something different and I learn something new every day – and not just about my departments.

And politics, do you enjoy that too?

I think so, even if I haven't experienced all the facets yet, but I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.

Does that mean that you would remain a politician if you were re-elected?

When the time comes, you have to be nominated by your party again. First and foremost, however, it depends on the will of the voters.

So you have not yet regretted the change from a popular general practitioner in Bonnevoie to a government office?

No, absolutely not. The whole thing took me out of my comfort zone, of course, as I had previously worked in medicine for almost 20 years, so a certain routine had crept in.