Claude Wiseler, President of Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies;
Credit: Chambre des Députés
During the public session on Tuesday 21 November 2023, Luxembourg deputies (MPs) elected Claude Wiseler the new President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg's parliament); 21 new MPs were also sworn in on this occasion.
New President
Claude Wiseler recently headed the CSV delegation during the coalition talks between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) and the Democratic Party (DP), which culminated in the signing of the coalition agreement for the new Luxembourg Government on Thursday 16 November 2023.
The 63-year-old politician has been a member of the CSV since 1984, serving as the party's President since April 2021. Claude Wiseler was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1999 and served as its Vice-President from December 2018 to October 2020. Throughout his political career, he has also served as an alderman in the City of Luxembourg and later as a government minister.
"We are sent here to represent the people," said Claude Wiseler during his speech on Tuesday. "Our mission is [...] to give a voice to those who sent us here." He added that in this regard "commitment", "exemplarity" and "humility" were obligatory. He added that whether MPs were in the majority or the opposition, "we all have an interest in moving the chamber back to the centre of political life".
The newly elected President thanked his predecessor, Fernand Etgen (DP), for his efforts, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as interim President Michel Wolter (CSV) for his work over the last few weeks. He also congratulated the new government. Reflecting on his own political career to date, he said: "I don't regret a single moment of it."
21 MPs sworn in
With the new CSV-DP coalition government now formed, the remaining 21 deputies were sworn in on Tuesday, bringing the total to the required 60. 46 elected representatives were sworn in already on 24 October 2023, although some have since become government ministers, leaving space for those who were next in line, namely: Barbara Agostino (DP); Guy Arendt (DP); Maurice Bauer (CSV); Gilles Baum (DP); Jeff Boonen (CSV); Yves Cruchten (LSAP); Alex Donnersbach (CSV); Patrick Goldschmidt (DP); Françoise Kemp (CSV); Mandy Minella (DP); Nathalie Morgenthaler (CSV); Laurent Mosar (CSV); Stéphanie Weydert (CSV).
Moreover, eight former government ministers, who received enough votes in the legislative elections on 8 October 2023, have been sworn in as MPs: François Bausch (Greens / déi Gréng); Taina Bofferding (LSAP); Franz Fayot (LSAP); Georges Engel (LSAP); Claude Haagen (LSAP); Paulette Lenert (LSAP); Sam Tanson (Greens / déi Gréng); Joëlle Welfring (Greens / déi Gréng). Former Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn (LSAP) recently confirmed his decision not to take up his seat in parliament.
