Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has led the three-party coalition in power since the end of 2013. Source: ap
There is a change of government in Luxembourg. In Sunday’s parliamentary elections, the co-governing Greens suffered such heavy losses that there is no longer enough for a new edition of the three-party coalition with the Liberals and Social Democrats.
According to the official provisional final result, the traffic light alliance, which has governed under the leadership of Prime Minister Xavier Bettel since the end of 2013, had 29 mandates. However, 31 mandates would be needed for the coalition to continue.
More recently, the government coalition had a narrow majority, with 31 of the 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.
Strongest force of the conservative party
The conservative Christian Social Popular Party (CSV), in opposition since 2013, is clearly the strongest party, with 21 seats. CSV lead candidate Luc Frieden said:
The people of Luxembourg have given the CSV a clear mandate to form the next government.
Luc Frieden, CSV’s main candidate
Its aim is to form a strong majority in the next parliament “that also fits thematically”. He will face this task in the coming hours.
Conservatives with several coalition options
Based on the election results, an alliance with the second strongest party, the Liberals (Democratic Party/DP) is most likely. However, a coalition between the CSV and the Social Democrats (LSAP) is also mathematically possible.
According to electoral management, the Greens lost five mandates compared to the 2018 elections – and only won four seats. The Liberals won 14 seats (plus 2), the Social Democrats 11 seats (plus 1). The CSV remained stable with 21 mandates.
The right-wing ADR won 5 mandates (plus 1).
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Greens disappointed after defeats
Prime Minister Bettel (50), from the Liberals, was pleased with his party’s good result. “We are the party that has made the most gains among the main parties.”
“I think that after such an electoral result, we should be prepared to assume responsibilities in the next government,” he told his party supporters.
The DP has a responsibility to move forward.
Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister
The Social Democrats’ main candidate, Paulette Lenert, also said: “We are there. We are ready to discuss.” Green Party lead candidate Sam Tanson said of his party’s poor result: “It was, of course, a huge disappointment. I had hoped to get a better result.”
Complicated voting process delays counting
Around 284,000 eligible voters were called to vote in Luxembourg on Sunday to elect a new parliament. Twelve parties sent around 650 candidates to the contest. In the EU’s second smallest country, with around 660,000 inhabitants, voting is mandatory. Voter turnout in 2018 was around 90 percent.
The complicated electoral system in Luxembourg not only allows the election of party lists, but also the allocation of votes to individual politicians from different parties. The counting of votes therefore continues until late at night.
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