She is chair of the Franco-German Foundation for Cultural Cooperation, president of the European Children's Book Fair Association, member of the ZDF Television Council, president of the Saar Adult Education Association, vice-president of the European Movement on the Saar. She also is president of Women in the EPP and executive member of the European People's Party. She was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of the Assembly of the Western European Union (1981–1983 and 1985–1989). She is chairwoman of the advisory board of A Soul for Europe.
She graduated from teaching college in 1965 and worked as a teacher in primary schools until 1974. From 1983 to 1985, she was employed by the Saarland Ministry of Education.