Bettel I Government

Last updated
Bettel I Government
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
Cabinet of Luxembourg
2013–2018
Bettel 2013 (cropped).jpg
Date formed4 December 2013
Date dissolved5 December 2018
(5 years and 1 day)
People and organisations
Grand Duke Henri
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel
Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider
Total no. of members15
Member parties  Democratic Party
  Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
  The Greens
Status in legislature Majority government (coalition)
Opposition parties Christian Social People's Party
Alternative Democratic Reform Party
Pirate Party
The Left
History
Election 2013 general election
Legislature terms 33rd Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies
Predecessor Juncker-Asselborn II Government
Successor Bettel II Government

The First Bettel Government (or Bettel I Government) was the ruling government of Luxembourg from 4 December 2013 to 5 December 2018. It was led by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider. It was formed on 4 December 2013, after the 2013 election which saw all 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies renewed. The government was a traffic light coalition between the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) and The Greens. It was succeeded by the second Bettel Government on 5 December 2018.

Contents

Formation

Until 2013, Luxembourg was governed by a CSV–LSAP coalition under Jean-Claude Juncker. After concerns over political oversight of the intelligence agency of Luxembourg, the Service de Renseignement de l'État, the LSAP withdrew its support from the government. Juncker then resigned as prime minister on 11 July 2013 and asked the Grand-Duke to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies and call an election. [1] In the election held on 20 October 2013, the CSV lost some seats but still remained as the largest party in parliament, though without a majority of seats. However, representatives of the DP, LSAP and the Greens agreed to form a government on election night, after the results had been announced. [2] On 22 October, the Grand-Duke consulted with a representative from each electoral list, and Juncker. [3] The next day he designated Georges Ravarani, the head of the administrative court, as the informateur for the formation of a new government. [3] Coalition talks between the DP, LSAP and the Greens started within a few days, and the coalition agreement was announced one and a half months later, and the new government was sworn in on 4 December 2013. [2] This was only the second government since 1945 that did not involve the CSV. [2] It was also the first time the Greens were involved in government. The three parties had a majority of 32 seats out of 60 in the Chamber of Deputies. Due to the colours associated with the 3 parties (red, blue and green) the arrangement was known as a "Gambia coalition" among some commentators, as it reflected that country's flag.

Overview

In general, the government had two main priorities, curbing the budget deficit, and in the area of social policy. [2] In terms of the former, the government raised the basic rate of VAT from 15 to 17 percent from 1 January 2015. [4]

Same-sex marriage was made legal from 1 January 2015.

On 11 September 2014 the Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider announced plans to introduce a church tax, payable only by members of religious congregations; the churches would then have to pay their clergy's salaries themselves. This would have replaced the system of the clergy being paid by the state. [5]

From November 2014, the government had to deal with the LuxLeaks scandal.

On 7 June 2015, the government held a constitutional referendum, asking, amongst other things, whether residents of Luxembourg without Luxembourgish nationality should be allowed to vote in national elections. While all 3 parties in the government coalition campaigned for a "Yes" vote, the result was an overwhelming "No".

Composition

Name [3] PortraitPartyOffice
Xavier Bettel Tallinn Digital Summit. Handshake Xavier Bettel and Juri Ratas (36718144533) CROP BETTEL.jpg DP Prime Minister
Minister of State
Minister of Communications and the Media
Minister of Religious Affairs
Minister of Culture
Etienne Schneider Informal meeting of justice and home affairs Handshake (Justice) Urmas Reinsalu and Etienne Schneider (34915138884) - crop Schneider.jpg LSAP Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Defence
Minister of the Economy
Minister of Internal Security
Jean Asselborn Informal meeting of ministers for foreign affairs (Gymnich). Arrivals Jean Asselborn (36927346612) CROPPED.jpg LSAP Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Immigration and Asylum
Félix Braz Moser Braz 2018 (cropped).jpg DG Minister of Justice
Nicolas Schmit Informal meeting of ministers for employment, social affairs, family and gender equality (iEPSCO). Handshake and welcome Jevgeni Ossinovski, Nicolas Schmit and Kaia Iva (35979354896) - CROP SCHMIT.jpg LSAP Minister of Employment
Romain Schneider Informal meeting of ministers responsible for development (FAC). Handshake Sven Mikser and Romain Schneider (36349968873) CROP SCHNEIDER.jpg LSAP Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action
Minister of Social Affairs
Minister of Sports
François Bausch Luxembourg, inauguration tram phase 2 (104) CROPPED Bausch.jpg DG Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure
Fernand Etgen Informal meeting of ministers for agriculture and fisheries (iAGRIFISH). Handshake Tarmo Tamm and Fernand Etgen (36850692206) CROP ETGEN.jpg DP Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture, and Consumer Protection
Marc Hansen 160127 Informal Meeting Ministers of Competitiveness - Day 1 EEK9332 (24560467091) -cropped Marc HANSEN.jpg DP Minister of Housing
Pierre Gramegna Informal meeting of economic and financial affairs ministers (ECOFIN). Handshake, Eurogroup Toomas Toniste and Pierre Gramegna (36840348840) CROP GRAMEGNA.jpg DP Minister of Finance
Lydia Mutsch Informal meeting of health ministers (iEPSCO). Handshake Jevgeni Ossinovski and (35654717470) CROP MUTSCH.jpg LSAP Minister of Equal Opportunities
Minister of Health
Daniel Kersch DanKersch 2015.jpg LSAP Minister of the Interior
Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform
Claude Meisch Claude Meisch, Jukowo Jugendkonschtwoch 2014-001 (cropped).jpg DP Minister of Children and Youth
Minister of Higher Education and Research
Minister of National Education
Corinne Cahen Corinne Cahen, Official signature of the <<Charte du benevolat>>-102.jpg DP Minister of Family and Integration
Carole Dieschbourg Informal meeting of environment ministers. Handshake Siim Kiisler and Carole Dieschbourg (35852057136) CROP DIESCHBOURG.jpg DG Minister of the Environment

Secretaries of State:

NamePartyOffice
Camille Gira DG Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure
Francine Closener LSAP Secretary of State for the Economy
Secretary of State for Internal Security
Secretary of State for Defence
Marc Hansen DP Secretary of State for Children and Youth
Secretary of State for Higher Education and Research
Secretary of State for Housing

On 16 December 2015, Maggy Nagel resigned as Minister for Housing and Minister for Culture. [6] Xavier Bettel announced that he would take over as Minister for Culture, while Marc Hansen, hitherto a Secretary of State, would be made Minister for Housing. [6]

References

  1. "Luxembourg PM Juncker offers government resignation". BBC News. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bumb, Christoph (4 December 2015). "Zwei Jahre Blau-Rot-Grün: Von Macht, Reformen und Ernüchterung". Luxemburger Wort (in German). Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Le gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (PDF). Service information et presse. 2014. ISBN   978-2-87999-247-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  4. "Luxemburg erhöht ab 1.1.2015 die Mehrwertsteuer". business-on.de (in German). 12 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  5. "Etienne Schneider: Priester-Gehälter nicht mehr vom Staat". Luxemburger Wort (in German). 11 September 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Et le nouveau ministre de la culture est: Xavier Bettel". Luxemburger Wort (in French). 16 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.