Carole Dieschbourg (born 3 October 1977) is a Luxembourgish writer and politician of The Greens. She was Minister for the Environment in the Bettel I and II coalition governments from 2013 to 2022. [1] She represented Luxembourg at the COP22 Climate Change Conference in Marrakesh, November 2016. [2]
Born in Ettelbruck on 3 October 1977, Dieschbourg matriculated from the Lycée classique d'Echternach in 1997 before studying historical sciences and German at the University of Trier, earning a Master of Arts in 2005. In 2005, she became coordinator of "Moulins – inventaire, excursion et sentier régional" (Mills – inventory, excursion and regional trail) under the Leader + Müllerthal programme, publishing Die Mühlen des Müllerthals (The Mullerthal Mills) in 2007. [1] [3]
In 2011, Dieschbourg entered politics as a municipal councillor in Echternach. Following the elections on 20 October 2013, she joined the Luxembourg government, becoming Minister for the Environment on 4 December 2013. Prior to her governmental appointment, she was a board member of Moulin J.P. Dieschbourg, a family business established in 1897. [1]
Interviewed by Romain Van Dyck in the Luxembourg newspaper Le Quotidien on 7 November 2016, she stressed the importance of arriving at a European position at the Climate Conference in Marrakech rather than agreements with individual countries. Luxembourg would above all be contributing by bringing about a major reduction in carbon emissions from road vehicles. She announced that the country would have 800 recharging facilities for electric cars by 2020 compared with 3,000 for the whole of France. [2]
In 2019 and subsequent years, Dieschbourg was suspected of favoritism in granting a late planning permission for building works on a garden shed to Roberto Traversini in 2019, at the time member of the Green and mayor of Differdange, in a Natura 2000 protected area, even though the construction of said shed had already started without the latter requesting a permission in due time.
Due to her diplomatic immunity, Dieschbourg couldn't be questioned in her official capacity at the time. The Chamber of Deputies therefore would have to vote on whether to lift her immunity, requiring a formal process involving lawmakers.
In 2022, Dieschbourg affirmed that she would advise lawmakers to support this course of action, stating, “There is not doubt for me that the lifting of my immunity is the right path”. However, just hours thereafter, she tearfully announced her resignation at a press conference. While maintaining her innocence, Dieschbourg explained that parliament had crucial matters to attend to, and initiating proceedings against her would consume valuable time. She expressed, “I don’t want this anymore”, particularly in light of the numerous hearings that had already taken place in 2019. As a result, Energy Minister Claude Turmes of the Green took over her mandate as interim minister. A preliminary investigation by the Luxembourg public prosecutor’s office to assess whether the case will go to trial had been ongoing since 2019 and a request had been sent to the Chamber of Deputies for a vote on Dieschbourg’s immunity. In March 2023, the deputies adopted a resolution to lift her immunity and in April 2023 the judicial police started questioning Dieschbourg regarding this matter. [4]
The Left is a democratic socialist political party in Luxembourg. On the political spectrum, it is considered a left-wing to far-left political party. The Left is associated with The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament but does not have any members. The party participates in the Party of the European Left. The Left wishes to transition Luxembourg from a constitutional monarchy into a republic.
The Greens is a green political party in Luxembourg.
Ettelbruck is a commune with town status in central Luxembourg, with a population of 9,965 inhabitants.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Luxembourg have the same legal rights as non-LGBT people. Partnerships, which grant many of the benefits of marriage, have been recognised since 2004. In June 2014, the Luxembourgish Parliament passed a law enabling same-sex marriage and adoption rights, which took effect on 1 January 2015. Additionally, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and "change of sex" in employment, healthcare and the provision of goods and services is outlawed, and transgender people are allowed to change their legal gender on the basis of self-determination.
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).
Sven Clement is a Luxembourgish politician and MP of the Pirate Party Luxembourg of which he is also one of the founders.
Luxembourg competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The Luxembourg Olympic and Sporting Committee sent a delegation of nine athletes to the event—five men and four women—who competed in 7 sports.
Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, is the wife of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, the heir apparent to the throne of Luxembourg. She became engaged to the Hereditary Grand Duke on 26 April 2012 and married him, in a civil ceremony, on 19 October 2012, followed by a religious service the next day. The couple have two sons, Prince Charles and Prince François.
Cannabis in Luxembourg is legal for recreational and medical use for adults under specific circumstances. A bill was passed in the country's parliament June 2023 to legalise the following for adults in Luxembourg: recreational possession, home-use of cannabis, and growing up to four cannabis plants per household. The law took effect on 21 July 2023.
General elections were held in Luxembourg on 14 October 2018. All 60 seats of the Chamber of Deputies were renewed.
Taina Bofferding is a Luxembourgish politician who served as the Minister of the Interior and of Equality between Men and Women under the Government of Xavier Bettel.
Paulette Lenert is a Luxembourgish lawyer and politician of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party. She held the positions of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Health, Minister Delegate of Social Security, and Minister of Consumer Protection. She was Minister of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs from 5 December 2018 to 4 February 2020.
The Stade de Luxembourg is the national stadium of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, located in the Luxembourg City quarter of Gasperich. The stadium is host to Luxembourg's national football and rugby teams, as well as the final of the Coupe de Luxembourg, and is listed as a Category 4 stadium by UEFA allowing it to host international matches. Construction on the stadium occurred between September 2017 and July 2021, missing the original 2019 target date for completion. On 1 September 2021, the stadium marked its official opening by hosting its first international match between the Luxembourg and Azerbaijan men's football teams as part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The inauguration ceremony for the stadium took place later that month, on 25 September. The Stade de Luxembourg replaces the outdated Josy Barthel stadium, due for demolition.
Lex Delles is a Luxembourgish politician. He was mayor of Mondorf-les-Bains, Member of the Chamber of Deputies, he served as Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Minister for Tourism in the second Bettel Government and, from 17 November 2023 on, serves as Minister of Economy, SMEs and Engery and Tourism in the Frieden-Bettel Government.
Fred Keup is a Luxembourgish politician and a member of parliament at the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg).
Djuna Bernard is a Luxembourgish politician from Déi Gréng. She was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from December 2018 to 2023, and again since 2024. A candidate in the 2018 legislative election, she was not directly elected but replaced Sam Tanson when she became Minister for Housing and Culture, making her the youngest deputy in the Chamber at 26 years old. She stood as a candidate for the co-presidency of The Greens in January 2019, and subsequently won in March that year and currently serves with Meris Šehović. Bernard and Šehović were both re-elected unopposed in March 2021.
General elections were held in Luxembourg on 8 October 2023 to elect all 60 seats of the Chamber of Deputies.
Serge Wilmes is a Luxembourgish politician of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), serving as Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity and Minister of Public Service in the Frieden-Bettel Government. He was previously a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2011 to 2023 and an alderman of Luxembourg City from 2017 to 2023.
Yuriko Nadia Backes is a Luxembourgish diplomat and politician who serves as Minister for Defence and Minister for Mobility and Public Transport since 2023. She served as Minister for Finances from 2022 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she has led the nation's financial sector through the economic crisis caused by the inflation surge and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prior to her appointment as minister, she held several key diplomatic positions, and was the diplomatic advisor to prime ministers Jean-Claude Juncker and Xavier Bettel.
Birtrange Castle is a castle near Schieren, Luxembourg.