Bettel I Government

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Bettel I Government
Flag of Luxembourg.svg
Cabinet of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
2013-2018
Xavier Bettel, Journee portes ouvertes <<Villa Pauly>>, 8-10 mai 2015-102.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 Coalition government
32 / 60
Opposition parties Christian Social People's Party
Alternative Democratic Reform Party
Pirate Party
The Left
History
Election(s) 2013 general election
Legislature term(s) 33rd Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies
Predecessor Juncker-Asselborn II Government
Successor Bettel ll Government
Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg supports Charlie Hebdo-102.jpg
Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister
Etienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister Schneider with groupies-001 cropped.jpg
Etienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister

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 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] PartyOffice
Xavier Bettel DP Prime Minister
Minister of State
Minister of Communications and the Media
Minister of Religious Affairs
Minister of Culture
Etienne Schneider LSAP Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Defence
Minister of the Economy
Minister of Internal Security
Jean Asselborn LSAP Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Immigration and Asylum
Félix Braz DG Minister of Justice
Nicolas Schmit LSAP Minister of Employment
Romain Schneider LSAP Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action
Minister of Social Affairs
Minister of Sports
François Bausch DG Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure
Fernand Etgen DP Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture, and Consumer Protection
Marc Hansen DP Minister of Housing
Pierre Gramegna DP Minister of Finance
Lydia Mutsch LSAP Minister of Equal Opportunities
Minister of Health
Daniel Kersch LSAP Minister of the Interior
Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform
Claude Meisch DP Minister of Children and Youth
Minister of Higher Education and Research
Minister of National Education
Corinne Cahen DP Minister of Family and Integration
Carole Dieschbourg 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]

Related Research Articles

Luxembourg is a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government, and the multi-party system. Executive power is under the constitution of 1868, as amended, exercised by the government, by the grand duke and the Council of Government (cabinet), which consists of a prime minister and several other ministers. Usually, the prime minister is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties having the most seats in parliament. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Social People's Party</span> Political party in Luxembourg

The Christian Social People's Party, abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian-democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, is strongly pro-European. The CSV is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and the Centrist Democrat International (CDI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party</span> Political party in Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party, abbreviated to LSAP or POSL, is a social-democratic, pro-European political party in Luxembourg. The LSAP sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party (Luxembourg)</span> Political party in Luxembourg

The Democratic Party, abbreviated to DP, is the major social-liberal political party in Luxembourg. One of the three major parties, the DP sits on the centre-right, with some centrist factions holding moderate market liberal views combined with a strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights, and internationalism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Luxembourg general election</span>

General elections were held in Luxembourg on 13 June 2004, alongside European Parliament elections. The ruling Christian Social People's Party (CSV) of Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker won the election, increasing its number of seats to its highest since before 1989 and its share of the vote to levels not seen since the 1959 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lydie Polfer</span> Luxembourgish politician

Lydie Polfer is a Luxembourgish politician who has served in a number of capacities, including Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mayor of Luxembourg City, as well as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and a member of the Chamber of Deputies. She is a member of the Democratic Party (DP).

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Luxembourg since 1 January 2015. A bill for the legalisation of same-sex marriages was enacted by the Chamber of Deputies on 18 June 2014 and signed into law by Grand Duke Henri on 4 July. Partnerships have also been available in Luxembourg since November 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Schmit</span> Luxembourgish politician (born 1953)

Nicolas Schmit is a Luxembourgish politician serving as European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights since 2019. A member of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), he was previously a member of the government of Luxembourg from 2004 to 2019 and a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North (Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg constituency)</span> Constituency of the Chamber of Deputies, the national legislature of Luxembourg

North is one of the four multi-member constituencies of the Chamber of Deputies, the national legislature of Luxembourg. The constituency was established in 1919 following the introduction of proportional representation for elections to the Chamber of Deputies. It consists of the cantons of Clervaux, Diekirch, Redange, Vianden and Wiltz. The constituency currently elects nine of the 60 members of the Chamber of Deputies using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2018 general election it had 47,223 registered electors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre (Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg constituency)</span> Constituency of the Chamber of Deputies, the national legislature of Luxembourg

Centre is one of the four multi-member constituencies of the Chamber of Deputies, the national legislature of Luxembourg. The constituency was established in 1919 following the introduction of proportional representation for elections to the Chamber of Deputies. It consists of the cantons of Luxembourg and Mersch. The constituency currently elects 21 of the 60 members of the Chamber of Deputies using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2018 general election it had 72,986 registered electors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claude Meisch</span> Luxembourgish politician

Claude Meisch is a Luxembourgish politician with a degree in financial mathematics from Trier university. Meisch was appointed Minister of Education in 2013 in the government of Xavier Bettel, a post he held until 2023. He was appointed Minister of Education and Youth and as Minister of Housing in 2023 in the government of Luc Frieden He has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1999 to 2013 and Mayor of Differdange since 2002. He was President of the Democratic Party (DP) from 2004 until 2013, of which he has been a member since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luc Frieden</span> Prime Minister of Luxembourg since 2023

Luc Frieden is a Luxembourgish politician and lawyer who serves as the 25th prime minister of Luxembourg since 2023. A member of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), he held numerous cabinet positions in the Luxembourgish government between 1998 and 2013, notably serving as the minister for the Treasury and Budget during the transition from the Franc to the Euro and as Minister of Finance during the European debt crisis. Frieden was president of the Luxembourgish Chamber of Commerce and Eurochambres, the business federation of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

General elections were held in Luxembourg on 7 June 2009, together with the 2009 election to the European Parliament. All sixty members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected for five years. The polls were topped by the Christian Social People's Party, which built upon its already high number of seats to achieve a commanding victory, with the highest vote share and number of seats of any party since 1954. Incumbent prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who was the longest-serving head of government in the European Union, renewed the coalition agreement with Deputy Prime Minister and Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party leader Jean Asselborn and formed the Juncker-Asselborn Ministry II, which was sworn in on 23 July 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Bettel</span> Luxembourgish politician (born 1973)

Xavier Bettel is a Luxembourgish lawyer and politician who serves as the 14th deputy prime minister of Luxembourg and as the minister for Foreign Affairs since 2023. He served as the 24th prime minister of Luxembourg from 2013 to 2023. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies (1999–2013) and Mayor of Luxembourg City (2011–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Bausch</span> Luxembourger politician

François Bausch is a Luxembourgish politician who served as Second Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg from 2019 to 2023. He is a member of the Chamber of Deputies as well as an alderman and member of the communal council of Luxembourg City. He was leader of the Greens in the Chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juncker–Asselborn II Government</span> 32nd Government of Luxembourg from 2009 to 2013

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Luxembourg general election</span>

Early general elections were held in Luxembourg on 20 October 2013. The elections were called after Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, at the time the longest-serving head of government in the European Union, announced his resignation over a spy scandal involving the Service de Renseignement de l'État (SREL). The review found Juncker deficient in his control over the service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Luxembourg general election</span>

General elections were held in Luxembourg on 14 October 2018. All 60 seats of the Chamber of Deputies were renewed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bettel II Government</span> 34th Government of Luxembourg from 2018 to 2023

The Bettel II government was the government of Luxembourg from 2018 to 2023. It was led by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and co-Deputy Prime Ministers Paulette Lenert and François Bausch. It was formed on 5 December 2018, after the 2018 election which saw all 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies renewed. The government was a continuation of the traffic light coalition between the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) and The Greens from the First Bettel–Schneider Ministry, with minor changes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Luxembourg general election</span>

General elections were held in Luxembourg on 8 October 2023 to elect all 60 seats of the Chamber of Deputies.

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.
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