Luxembourg nationals will head to the polls for the legislative elections on Sunday 8 October 2023, to elect 60 deputies (MPs) to the Chamber of Deputies (parliament).
Whilst foreign nationals residing in Luxembourg could vote in the municipal elections in June, only Luxembourgers (including dual nationals), aged eighteen and over, are eligible to vote in the upcoming national elections. Some voters will have already submitted their ballots by post, but many others will be going to the polls this Sunday.
In the lead-up to the elections, Chronicle.lu has summarised the main policy priorities of the participating political parties. After looking at the current government coalition parties (Part 1), this article will explore the priorities of the remaining (non-government) parties, starting with those which are already represented in the Chamber of Deputies.
Note that the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) secured 21 seats in the 2018 legislative elections, whilst the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) obtained four seats (currently three, after MP Roy Reding left and created his own party) and the Pirate Party (Piraten) and the Left (déi Lénk) each secured two seats in the Chamber of Deputies.
Christian Social People’s Party (CSV)
Lead candidate: Luc Frieden
Luxembourg’s main opposition party has based its manifesto on ten key points. Firstly, the party is pushing to lower taxes for all and broaden tax brackets, with the goal of strengthening purchasing power. Secondly, it has pledged to increase support for young families, for example allowing parents of primary school-age children to take four hours of unpaid parental leave per week. Thirdly, the CSV has advocated building more housing faster and again reducing the VAT rate for rental housing construction from 17% to 3%.
On climate change, the party has advocated “fast-track” procedures for the energy transition and the expansion of renewable energies by 2030. Its fifth key point targets a competitive economy, for example through simplified administrative procedures and increased support for SMEs. On health, the CSV has prioritised shorter waiting times and more medical centres and out-of-hours medical practices.
Concerning security, the party wishes to recruit an additional 700 police officers and increase CCTV surveillance. It is also looking to reform language teaching and strengthen vocational education. Another priority is improved mobility, for example by expanding the tram network. The CSV’s final priority is digitalisation (e.g. of administrative procedures).
Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR)
Lead candidate: Fred Keup
The ADR has placed significant emphasis on the issue of security and fighting crime. The party stated in its manifesto that “Luxembourg has a substantial security problem”, which it suggests tackling by giving the police and the justice system more means and legal security. Another priority is linked to families, with the ADR advocating a kind of parental allowance (e.g. to help with childcare costs). The party has also pledged to address the housing crisis as a priority and emphasised its rejection of the EU ban on the sale of new cars with combustion engines. In addition, the ADR has prioritised the promotion of the Luxembourgish language, among other issues (culture and heritage, mobility, etc.).
Pirate Party (Piraten)
Lead candidate: Sven Clement
Luxembourg’s Pirate Party has based its manifesto on “fair solutions”, for example through the abolition of tax classes and more financial aid for parents (“Chèque-Service Accueil”), namely for childcare. On the subject of security, the Pirates have advocated an increased police presence. Other priorities include rewarding environmentally friendly behaviour (e.g. with a climate bonus), an economy that is both “open” and “digital” (e.g. by simplifying business creation), more accessible healthcare and universal access to rooms in retirement and care homes, as well as “real” citizen participation (e.g. giving public petitions more weight and creating a national citizen council). Regarding housing, the Pirates have called for public housing to be rented out at €10 per m2 per month, with access to ownership made possible via a lease-purchase agreement.
The Left (déi Lénk)
Lead candidate: none
The Left has denounced “unacceptable and growing inequalities” in society, advocating in its manifesto fairer work models and universal access to housing. The party has called for reduced working hours and a higher minimum wage (i.e. an immediate increase of €300), as well as redefining the role of the ADEM employment agency to help it guarantee “full employment”. Just as the LSAP has advocated a 38-hour work week and additional annual leave, the Left has proposed a sixth week of paid annual leave for all employees in Luxembourg, followed by the introduction of a 32-hour work week (without a pay reduction) by 2030. Like other parties, the Left has also proposed to abolish the current three tax classes. As for housing, the Left has committed itself to the fight against speculation and expressed its wish to enshrine the right to housing in the Constitution of Luxembourg. Among its other priorities are improved access to healthcare and education, supporting the ecological transition, accelerating the development of the public transport network, and strengthening democracy (e.g. by lowering the voting age to sixteen).
Fokus
Lead candidate: Frank Engel
Fokus, founded in February 2022, has provided nine key priorities ahead of the legislative elections. These include “real tax justice”, namely through a reformed tax scale and tax cuts for lower incomes, as well as fairer loans for borrowers looking to buy property; Fokus has proposed capping the capital required by banks for mortgages of €1 million at €75,000. Moreover, the party has called for a reform of the education system and the introduction of extended parental leave. It has also pledged to guarantee financial support for families caring for their elderly, sick or disabled loved ones at home. Concerning security, the party advocated increasing the police presence in residential areas and public spaces. It also promoted the direct election of Luxembourg’s prime minister and the country’s mayors. Other priorities include enhancing economic cooperation in the Greater Region and providing more affordable housing (e.g. by eliminating registration fees for personal-use real estate transactions).
Volt
Lead candidate: none
Volt Luxembourg (part of the pan-European party Volt Europa) has presented its three main missions as follows: promoting Europe and the European Union, empowering citizens equally and committing to the climate and science. The party aims to continue to strengthen the EU and its institutions in Luxembourg, for example promoting the European School system as a model for public schools, and to empower citizens - the party has advocated allowing EU citizens to vote in the national elections. Its green policy priorities touch on autonomous electric vehicles and renewable energies. Other priorities include strengthened cooperation at European level, a higher quality of life and social justice, improved care and well-being (including “digital well-being”) and using social measures to address housing issues in Luxembourg, as well as fostering research and innovation and promoting sustainable mobility.
Communist Party (KPL)
Lead candidate: Ali Ruckert
The KPL has centred its manifesto around the issues of purchasing power and poverty, affordable housing, climate protection, trade union rights and indexation and the “looming threat of war” - the party has denounced the government’s role in “economic wars waged by the EU, NATO and the USA against Russia and China”. It pledged continued support for wage indexation but also a 20% increase in the minimum wage, pensions and other social parameters. It also proposed a 35-hour work week (without a loss of pay) and dropping the retirement age from 65 to 60 years, as well as higher taxes for higher earners, banks and corporations. On housing, the KPL has proposed that 50,000 public rental apartments be built in the next decade and advocated a speculation tax on vacant building land and apartments. Other priorities address collective ownership, the environment (e.g. promotion of renewable energies), healthcare, education (e.g. abolition of university tuition fees) and foreign policy.
Liberté - Fräiheet!
Lead candidate: Roy Reding
Luxembourg MP Roy Reding set up the “Liberté - Fräiheet” party after leaving the ADR party earlier this year. The party’s national election manifesto addresses the issues of freedom of expression and direct democracy, the healthcare system (e.g. expanding medical centres across the country), security (e.g. increased police presence) and housing (e.g. reduced registration fees). In the area of family, the party has advocated offering parents the choice to either look after their children at home or send them to childcare facilities. Like other parties, Liberté - Fräiheet has called for changes to the tax system and rejected new or increased taxation. Other priority areas include education, the justice system, consumer protection, poverty, energy and climate protection, as well as the role of international organisations.
The Conservatives (déi Konservativ)
Lead candidate: Joe Thein
For their part, the Conservatives, whose manifesto was not available online at the time of writing, have expressed their views (via social media and in the press) ahead of the elections on priority issues such as individual freedom, self-determination, direct democracy and social values, as well as taxation (advocating tax cuts), the role of the Luxembourgish language, the influence of Europe (the party supports “less Europe” and “more Luxembourg”) and keeping Luxembourg’s growing population in check. The Conservatives party was founded in 2017 under the leadership of Joe Thein (former ADR member).
