Luxembourg Votes 2013
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Online election campaigns: a blessing or a curse?
This year’s election campaign will increasingly be played out on the Internet. Social networks will have a central role. This is only logical, as most politicians are already using the Internet quite eloquently. The advantages are obvious: an online campaign is quick and cheap, and messages can be better communicated to the targeted audience. Whether … Continue reading
Five parties agree campaign rules, earn criticism from Déi Lénk and Pirates
The election campaign should be “fair and objective”, representatives of the CSV, LSAP, DP, déi Gréng and ADR agreed on Tuesday morning. The five parties backed off from an earlier plan to forego commercial advertising on radio and television and set instead a budget cap of 75,000 euros. Déi Lénk are the only parliamentary party … Continue reading
Official launch of election campaign set for mid-September
The election campaign will not officially start until mid-September, political parties agreed on Thursday at an extraordinary meeting in Parliament convened to discuss the extent and duration of the election campaign. As in previous years, participants in the elections will follow certain basic rules.
Greens present candidate lists: “We are ready for government”
Unlike their political rivals, “déi gréng” will not have a single lead candidate in the elections nor one top candidate in each region. As in the past, the Greens have picked eight candidates to head their electoral lists. This allows them to have a female-male duo at the top of their candidate list in each … Continue reading
Political parties “not all equal before the law”
The countdown has begun. In less than three months, voters will go to the polls to elect a new parliament. In the meantime, political parties will need to move up another gear to prepare for the ballot, after a gentle start of the year when they were still thinking about legislative elections in May 2014. … Continue reading
Speaking evil of Juncker – what better way to make him more likeable?
The Socialists have accused Jean-Claude Juncker of failing to launch a single initiative at the national level over the last ten years. The national and international press never mentioned this fact, says Lucien Lux. But neither did the LSAP before their coalition with the CSV fell apart. It is only now that tongues are loosening … Continue reading
“People love a betrayal, but not the betrayer”
At long last, Grand Duke Henri has ended the government crisis in Luxembourg and scheduled new elections for 20 October. In the end, both the Prime Minister and the CSV-LSAP coalition government avoided drawing the consequences of the secret service scandal – Juncker by refusing to step down and the Socialists by being spared a … Continue reading
Juncker: “The LSAP has betrayed our long friendship and inclusive governance”
He often did not “dig deep enough” and should have taken disciplinary action against the head of the intelligence service, Jean-Claude Juncker admitted in an interview for the Luxemburger Wort on Saturday, but said that he refused to work in a “climate of distrust against the senior civil service”. The Prime Minister accused his Socialist … Continue reading
Grand Duke announces October elections, defers dissolution of Parliament
Grand Duke Henri on Friday announced that he had “resolved” to dissolve the Luxembourg Parliament with effect from 7 October, with early elections set to take place on 20 October, in line with the views of the parliament’s constitutional committee. On Thursday, the State Council had spoken out against such a deferred dissolution of parliament, … Continue reading
State Council against late dissolution of parliament, parties disagree
Luxembourg’s State Council, an advisory body on legal matters, on Thursday expressed its opposition to deferring the dissolution of parliament until early October if elections are to be held on 20 October. The legislature should be dissolved immediately and elections held within three months when there is a substantial and serious rift within the coalition … Continue reading
What led to early elections in Luxembourg?
Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was forced to accept early elections after losing the support of his junior coalition partner on 10 July. At the origin of the government crisis is the mismanagement of Luxembourg’s intelligence service. From eavesdropping to car trafficking and with a whiff of the Cold War, the case has all the hallmarks … Continue reading
Socialists and Liberals pick top candidates
Etienne Schneider was confirmed as the lead candidate of the Socialists (LSAP) on Tuesday evening, while the Liberals (DP) put forward four top candidates. The Greens announced that they would not rule out a three-way coalition after the elections. At the LSAP congress, Schneider received overwhelming party support, securing 376 out of 379 votes. The … Continue reading
Liberals don’t rule out three-way coalition after elections
On Tuesday afternoon, Claude Meisch and Xavier Bettel did not want to disclose who would lead the list of DP candidates at the elections – or if there was going to be a single lead candidate in the first place. Xavier Bettel: “There are indeed many possibilities and options. It’s clear that we need reforms, … Continue reading
ASTI wants expat issues debated during election campaign
The Association for the Support of Foreign Workers (ASTI) has called for expat issues, such as the reform of the nationality law and the right to vote for non-nationals, to be included in this year’s election programmes. As the Luxembourg’s parties are gearing up for a summer elections campaign, ASTI has said that not only … Continue reading
Socialists, Greens and Liberals to hold key election meetings tonight
Three political parties – LSAP (Socialists), déi gréng (Greens) and DP (Liberals) – will hold key party meetings on Tuesday evening to prepare for early elections in October. While the LSAP and the DP are due to decide on their lead candidates, the Greens will have a content discussion.
