Carola Rackete is the leading candidate for Germany's Left (Die Linke) party in the upcoming European elections.

She was chosen by the party as a symbol of resistance. Rackete is known for her time as captain of the Sea-Watch 3 sea rescue vessel in the Mediterranean.

She told ANSA during an interview in Berlin, however, that migration isn't the only reason she accepted this political challenge. With an academic background in environmental issues, she is also hoping to bring her climate experience and knowledge to Brussels.

'I worked with migrants only for six months'

Rackete entered the international spotlight in 2019, when she disobeyed the demands of Italy's then-interior minister Matteo Salvini in her capacity as captain of the Sea-Watch 3 migrant rescue vessel.

She was not allowed to steer the rescue vessel -- which at the time was carrying 42 migrants -- into the port of Lampedusa, Salvini's government said.

But she did it anyway. The decision earned her house arrest and widespread support from pro-migrant advocates across the European continent. In the media, she became known as a symbol of sea rescue efforts on the Mediterranean.

But that's not the story she wants to be known for.

"In my entire life I only worked with migrants for six months, while for years I dedicated myself to the environment," she said. "I was a volunteer for Sea Watch. Furthermore, during the last years, many people were arrested while conducting sea rescues, and it is just by chance that I became known through the media. I do understand that seen from the outside that instance became symbolic, but to state that I should only follow migration issues is nonsense. And I do not think that this symbolic figure is correct, nor does it correspond to reality."

'Today, just like then, many Italians do not agree with the government's policies'

At the time of the arrest in Italy, Carola did not feel alone: "This story was aligned with the spirit of the times, because many Italians, men and women, were tremendously unhappy with Salvini, his policies, his rhetoric and his conduct. And many rejoiced when the government coalition collapsed because the Italian people were fed up with him".

The judicial proceedings did not find anyone guilty and "it was all shelved."

"My experience with Italian justice is not negative," said Rackete. "But when you have a European passport, everything is easier, while many people who come from Africa face faster proceedings without adequate legal representation. Not only in Italy, this happens in Greece and elsewhere too."

What is Carola Rackete hoping to achieve in Europe?

"My expectations are limited because I think that the European Parliament is not strong enough compared to the Commission and the Council.

There is a deficiency in democracy, but there is plenty of room and possibilities for improvement. Furthermore, there is a lack of transparency: there are too many interests between firms, in the weapon and pharmaceutical fields, for example. We must clarify to civil society what is happening at EU level."

To protect climate, wealth must be distributed, with fiscal policies that address important capital wealth "private enterprises, financial transactions," she said.

In the future, however, Rackete does not see herself in politics. "In the long-term I will go back to living in a colder climate," she replies, laughing -- like the Arctic poles where she worked as a climate scientist before becoming known for her work at sea.