Local Elections Candidate Profile: Anna Fox

In the run-up to Luxembourg's municipal (local) elections, which are scheduled for Sunday 11 June 2023, Chronicle.lu got in touch with various candidates with links to the international community to learn why they got involved in politics and which local issues they are prioritising.

All non-Luxembourgish residents over the age of eighteen could register to vote in the local elections this year, regardless of length of time living in the Grand Duchy. By the deadline of 17 April 2023, over 50,000 foreign residents had registered to vote (about 20% of those eligible). In addition, 379 out of 3,847 candidates are non-Luxembourgers (dual Luxembourg nationals are counted as Luxembourgers in this context).

The candidates interviewed in this series of articles are mainly non-Luxembourgers or dual nationals with an international background. Chronicle.lu thus had the opportunity to speak with Anna Fox, who is standing as a candidate for the Greens (Déi Gréng) in Contern.

Born in Essex, England, Anna Fox moved to Lyon, France in 1997 and lived and worked there for twelve years. In 2009, she moved to Luxembourg with her family after her partner took up a job in the European institutions. Anna has been involved in the Greens since 2017.

Chronicle.lu: Why did you get involved in local politics? And is this your first time running as a candidate?

Anna Fox: After the result of the Brexit referendum and my subsequent application for Luxembourgish nationality, I wanted to give something back to Luxembourg for giving me the chance to remain European. At around the same time, I went to a screening of the film Demain by Cyril Dion/Melanie Laurent which inspired me with stories of local action. When our Déi Greng councillor asked me if Id be interested in joining the local section, it all seemed to fit together.

This is the second time - I stood in the 2017 elections as well and although I am not an elected member of the council, l have been active in the consultative commissions of "Mobilitéit" [mobility] and "Integratioun" [integration] in my commune in the intervening period.

Chronicle.lu: What are your party's major issues in your constituency?

Anna Fox: Like most of Luxembourg, mobility. My commune lies on one of the main routes into [Luxembourg] City from Germany and is also used as a rat-run by the French. In addition to heavy commuter traffic we also have the Contern business park, a major logistics hub.

Chronicle.lu: What specific issues are you backing/promoting?

Anna Fox: I am particularly interested in the idea of more circularity and resilience in our local economy. Growing food locally, supporting local business and how we move around locally are subjects that I'm trying to educate myself on. However, I think we have to keep the bigger picture in mind. We face huge environmental challenges on a global scale and I think how we react and the decisions we take in the next five years are critical. Now really is the time to stop talking and start doing! I believe each one of us must find the courage to take steps at a local level. We have to stop pillaging our planet.

Chronicle.lu: Have you encountered any particular challenges as a non-Luxembourger/dual national (e.g. the language used in political debates)?

Anna Fox: Yes! It is frustrating - my Luxembourgish is pretty basic so although I may understand what is being said, it is sometimes hard to participate in conversation in an intelligent way but I just keep turning up and telling myself there are 40% of my commune who are non-Luxembourgers and probably in a similar situation. One day I'm sure I'll get a coherent sentence out! And I'm encouraged because I can see an increase in the number of non-Luxembourgers/dual nationals standing this time compared to 2017. We've had some great people come on board and I think our own list matches the 60%/40% split of the population.

Chronicle.lu: Please tell us about your involvement in the international community in Luxembourg over the years.

Anna Fox: I am a member of the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg (BCC) and the British-Luxembourg Society (BLS). Community is the one thing that may help us in the face of the climate crisis, maybe even more so than wealth or technology. And I think it is Luxembourg's strength and its weakness. There are so many fabulous environmental initiatives out there, but sometimes I feel they get siloed into their community base. We all live in Luxembourg, share the same resources, face the same issues on a day-to-day basis. In addition to individual projects and ideas, we need cooperation, collaboration and collective action.