National Day 2018;
Credit: Jazmin Campbell
On Tuesday 22 December 2020, the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg's Parliament) debated a petition to observe a moment of silence for COVID-19 victims.
Whilst the petition, which received just under 5,000 signatures, suggested holding the minute silence this New Year's Eve, members of parliament (MPs) decided that this was not the best time. They instead proposed holding a minute's silence on National Day next year.
Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior, Taina Bofferding, supported the proposal and emphasised that the moment of silence should commemorate victims of the virus as well as recognising the efforts of essential workers during the pandemic.
The petition also requested that fireworks be banned this New Year's Eve out of respect to those who died. MPs concluded that this remained the decision of the municipal authorities.
