The Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 2013
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20 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GRAND13 DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG CONTENTS Parliament since 1945 6 The formation of the new government 9 The members of the government 19 The composition of the government 21 Xavier Bettel 23 Étienne Schneider 25 Jean Asselborn 27 Félix Braz 29 Nicolas Schmit 31 Romain Schneider 33 François Bausch 35 Fernand Etgen 37 Maggy Nagel 39 Pierre Gramegna 41 Lydia Mutsch 43 Dan Kersch 45 Claude Meisch 47 Corinne Cahen 49 Carole Dieschbourg 51 Camille Gira 53 Francine Closener 55 Marc Hansen 57 OFFICIAL PICTURE OF THE MINISTERS CAROLE DIESCHBOURG DAN KERSCH PIERRE GRAMEGNA MAGGY NAGEL LYDIA MUTSCH CLAUDE MEISCH CORINNE CAHEN FERNAND ETGEN ROMAIN SCHNEIDER FÉLIX BRAZ ÉTIENNE SCHNEIDER XAVIER BETTEL JEAN ASSELBORN NICOLAS SCHMIT FRANÇOIS BAUSCH PARLIAMENT SINCE 1945 LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS – NUMBER OF MPs PER PARTY AND PER ELECTION 1945 1948 1951 1954 1959 1964 1968 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2013 CSV 25 22 21 26 21 22 21 18 24 25 22 21 19 24 26 23 LSAP 11 15 19 17 17 21 18 17 14 21 18 17 13 14 13 13 DP 9* 9* 8** 6** 11 6 11 14 15 14 11 12 15 10 9 13 KPL 5 5 4 3 3 5 6 5 2 2 1 - - - - - adr - - - - - - - - - - 4* 5** 7** 5** 4 3 déi gréng - - - - - - - - - - - 5 5 7 7 6 GLEI - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - GAP - - - - - - - - - 2 2 - - - - - SDP - - - - - - - 5 2 - - - - - - - Enrôlés de force - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - SI - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - MIP - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - 6 PIE 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - déi Lénk - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 2 Total 51 51 52 52 52 56 56 59 59 64 60 60 60 60 60 60 THE VARIOUS PARTIES CSV Chrëschtlech-Sozial Vollekspartei LSAP Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei DP Demokratesch Partei – **Groupement démocratique – *Groupement patriotique et démocratique KPL Kommunistesch Partei vu Lëtzebuerg adr alternativ demokratesch reformpartei – **Aktiounskomitee fir Demokratie a Rentegerechtegkeet – *Aktiounskomitee 5/6 déi gréng déi gréng (fusion of the GLEI and the GAP) GLEI Gréng Lëscht – Ekologesch Initiativ GAP Gréng Alternativ Partei SDP Sozialdemokratesch Partei (split of the LSAP) Enrôlés de force Enrôlés de force SI Socialistes indépendants (split of the LSAP) MIP Mouvement indépendant populaire 7 PIE Parti des indépendants de l’Est déi Lénk déi Lénk (alliance between the KPL and various extreme-left and associative movements) 8 20 THE FORMATION OF13 THE NEW GOVERNMENT 9 10 On 20 October 2013, in early legislative elections, going government to the head of state. HRH the Grand Luxembourg voters were summoned to elect the Duke requested that the government remain in office 60 members of Parliament (Chamber of Deputies). until the formation of a new government and assigned it Based on the votes cast, the distribution of the seats the task of continuing to oversee any current affairs and within Parliament was as follows: implement any urgent measures called for in economic and financial matters. 2013 2009 CSV 23 26 Subsequently, HRH the Grand Duke welcomed in a LSAP 13 13 consultation hearing the president of the outgoing DP 13 9 Parliament and the president of the Council of State. déi gréng 6 7 adr 3 4 déi Lénk 2 1 Appointment of an informateur 1 KPL 0 0 23 October 2013 piratepartei 0 / PID 0 / On 22 October 2013, the head of state welcomed in a consultation hearing a representative of each electoral list that participated in the legislative elections and, once Resignation of the outgoing government again, the Prime Minister in office Jean-Claude Juncker. 21 October 2013 Following meetings seeking opinion and advice, on On 21 October 2013, the day following the elections, 23 October 2013, HRH the Grand Duke appointed the the members of the outgoing government gathered president of the Administrative Court, Georges Ravarani, for a final meeting of the Government Council. to serve as informateur in the context of the formation 11 of the new government. The same day, the informateur At the close of this meeting, the Prime Minister held discussions with the representatives of the principal Jean-Claude Juncker was welcomed in a hearing at political parties and delivered a first report to HRH the the grand-ducal palace by HRH the Grand Duke. As is Grand Duke. customary on the day following the legislative elections, the Prime Minister presented the resignation of the out- 1 person appointed to lead exploratory talks On 24 October 2013, a second hearing was granted ÌÌfor the LSAP: Étienne Schneider, Alex Bodry, to Georges Ravarani with HRH the Grand Duke to dis- Jean Asselborn, Mars Di Bartolomeo, Nicolas Schmit, cuss the conclusions to be drawn from the information- Romain Schneider, Lucien Lux and Claude Tremont; gathering mission entrusted to him. ÌÌfor “déi gréng”: François Bausch, Félix Braz, Camille Gira, Henri Kox, Josée Lorsché, Viviane Loschetter and Sam Tanson. Appointment of a formateur 2 25 October 2013 The three delegations first heard statements by various senior officials, namely from the State Treasury, the Having taken note of the willingness of the LSAP, DP and Inspectorate General of Finances, the Land Registration “déi gréng” parties to form a new government, HRH the and Estates Department, the Customs and Excise Agency, Grand Duke called to a hearing Xavier Bettel, chairman Inland Revenue and STATEC, to obtain an overall view of the DP liberal party, to entrust him with the formation of the public finances situation. of the new government. At the close of the first negotiation meeting, the three delegations decided to establish eight working groups, Opening of coalition negotiations tasked with conducting an analysis of a specific field or 29 October 2013 topic and to report back to the plenary assembly: ÌÌfinances, financial centre; On 29 October 2013, nine days following the legislative ÌÌeconomy, competitiveness, employment, tourism, elections, the LSAP, DP and “déi gréng” delegations energy, small and medium-sized businesses, research; gathered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate ÌÌsocial policy, family, health, equal opportunities, the coalition negotiations under the presidency of the specific needs; 12 formateur Xavier Bettel. ÌÌeducation, culture, sport, support of children, higher education; The delegations of the three parties were made up as ÌÌstate, institutions, justice, civil service reform, follows: procedures, data protection, religious affairs; ÌÌfor the DP: Guy Daleiden, Fernand Etgen, Lex ÌÌsustainable development, infrastructure, transport, Folscheid (secretariat), Alain Kinsch, Claude Meisch, consumer protection, agriculture; Maggy Nagel, Lydie Polfer and Dan Theisen; 2 person appointed to form the government ÌÌhousing, municipalities, Greater Region, police, Beginning of work by the working groups emergency services; 4 November 2013 ÌÌinternational policy, Europe, defence, development aid, immigration. The eight working groups began their work on 4 Novem- ber 2013. Each group was chaired by a person in charge: On 30 October 2013, the delegations heard reports by ÌÌClaude Meisch (DP): finances, banking; the governor of the Luxembourg Central Bank, Gaston ÌÌÉtienne Schneider (LSAP): economy, competitiveness, Reinesch, and the chairman of the National Pension employment, tourism, energy, small and medium- Insurance Fund, Robert Kieffer. sized businesses, research; ÌÌMars Di Bartolomeo (LSAP): social issues, health, equal opportunities, specific needs; Meeting between Xavier Bettel and ÌÌAndré Bauler (DP): education, family, culture, sport, Jean-Claude Juncker support structures for children, higher education; 31 October 2013 ÌÌFélix Braz (“déi gréng”): state, institutions, justice, civil service reform, procedures, data protection, On 31 October 2013, the Prime Minister in office Jean- religious affairs; Claude Juncker received the formateur Xavier Bettel in ÌÌFrançois Bausch (“déi gréng”): sustainable a meeting at the Ministry of State. The agenda featured development, infrastructure, transport, consumer a series of technical issues, such as the first sitting of the protection, agriculture; new Parliament, as well as certain European dossiers. ÌÌMaggy Nagel (DP): housing, municipalities, Greater Region, police, emergency services; Jean-Claude Juncker and Xavier Bettel emphasised that ÌÌJean Asselborn (LSAP): international issues, Europe, their meeting took place in a pleasant and constructive defence, development aid, immigration. environment. 13 Second meeting between Xavier Bettel The parties engaged in the negotiations for the forma- and Jean-Claude Juncker tion of the new government agreed on the distribution 19 November 2013 of the following portfolios: On 19 November 2013, the Prime Minister in office DP Jean-Claude Juncker and the formateur Xavier Bettel ÌÌPrime Minister met for a second time at the Ministry of State, to sched- ÌÌMinistry of State ule a date for the handover of power. ÌÌFinance, Treasury and Budget ÌÌFamily and Integration ÌÌEducation and Vocational Training Xavier Bettel presents the conclusions ÌÌChildren and Youth of his mission as formateur ÌÌHigher Education and Research 29 November 2013 ÌÌCulture ÌÌHousing After having informed HRH the Grand Duke of the ÌÌAgriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development progress of the coalition negotiations throughout the ÌÌConsumer Protection preceding weeks, Xavier Bettel was received in a hearing ÌÌCommunications and Media by the head of state on 29 November 2013, to submit ÌÌReligious Affairs to him the conclusions of his mission as formateur. ÌÌGreater Region ÌÌRelations with Parliament Signing of the coalition agreement LSAP