Dupong-Schaus Ministry

Last updated

The Dupong-Schaus Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 1 March 1947 and 3 July 1951. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Democratic Group.

Contents

Background

The Dupong-Schaus Ministry came about when the National Union government resigned. The CSV and the Democratic Group formed a coalition based on the support of 34 of 51 members of the Chamber of Deputies. [1] However, at the partial elections of 6 June 1948, the LSAP became once again the strongest party in the South constituency, while the Communist Party made losses. [1] Despite its good results, the LSAP decided to remain in opposition. [1] Although Dupong was well-disposed to the idea of a three-party government to tackle the problem of reconstruction, the LSAP refused to join a coalition that contained the liberals. [1] The LSAP advocated an economy based on dirigisme and planning, which was radically opposed to liberal ideas. [1]

↓
2591151
CSVDGLSAPKPLPIE

The government's parliamentary majority before and after the elections of 1948.

↓
229155
CSVDGLSAPKPL

Foreign policy

In an international political climate marked by the beginning of the Cold War, the Luxembourg government aligned itself definitively with the Western powers. [2] It participated in different initiatives which put in place a system of military alliances between the countries of the West. [2] On 17 March 1948, Luxembourg agreed to the pact of Brussels, in which France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries agreed to offer mutual assistance in case they were attacked. [2] On 4 April 1949, Luxembourg signed the North Atlantic Treaty, which gave rise to NATO. [2] These decisions were supported by the three major parties of the country, but not by the Communist Party. [2]

Luxembourg, following the lead of the Allies, also normalised its relations with Germany. [2] In 1949, it renounced its territorial claims, retaining only a forest near Vianden, the Kammerwald, as payment for war reparations. [2]

Luxembourg also participated in the negotiations for putting the Marshall Plan into effect, through the framework of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC). [2] It was one of the 16 European governments that met in Paris on 12 July 1947 to respond to the American Secretary of State's offer of aid. [2] American aid was granted to the UEBL, within which it was then divided up in proportion to size of population and economic capacity. [2] [3] The Luxembourgish government profited from the OEEC in order to realise several large-scale projects such as the hydroelectric development of the Sûre and the Our. [3]

When Robert Schuman launched his plan to create a common European market for coal and steel, Luxembourg was a party to this. [3] On 18 April 1951, the Luxembourgish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Bech, signed the treaty setting up the European Coal and Steel Community, with his French, German, Italian, Belgian and Dutch colleagues. [3] Even though, at the time, the French ambassador remarked that "Luxembourg could not not join" due to its lack of political clout on the international scene, the Luxembourgish government did not agree lightly to a scheme that put the main industry of the country under a supranational authority. [3] After the war, the steel industry remained the driving force of the Luxembourgish economy. [3] It employed a quarter of the active population, and provided almost two-thirds of the country's industrial production. [3] During the negotiations, the Luxembourgish government succeeded in establishing the principle of the juridical equality of all the states, even the smallest, and in having Luxembourg being directly represented in the institutions of the ECSC, namely the High Authority and the Common Assembly. [3]

Domestic policy

Luxembourg's participation in international military alliances meant that it had to abandon its neutrality, and would have to revise its Constitution. [4] The Chamber elected in 1945 had received the task of modifying several constitutional articles. [4] The changes were voted through the parliament under the Dupong-Schaus government. [4] The words "perpetually neutral" were struck from the first article. [4] In addition, the constitutional revision of 1948 defined Luxembourg as a "parliamentary democracy", underlined the importance of free trade and freedom of industry, protected union rights, stipulated that the law guaranteed the right to work and organised social security. [4]

In the coalition, Pierre Dupong and the Christian Social People's Party put emphasis on family policy by developing benefits for families. [4] The law of 20 October 1947 created the first legal basis for family allowances for all workers. [4] In addition, the government created the birth allowance. [4] During the post-war period, a broad consensus existed around the principle of national solidarity: those who had remained unharmed should help those who had suffered in the war. [4] This principle of solidarity also guided the government in its policy of reconstruction. [4] On 16 April 1947, the Prime Minister pledged before the Chamber that war damages would be fully compensated. [4] War damages were estimated at 11,1 billion francs. [4]

Although the government managed to obtain protection clauses for Luxembourgish agriculture in the negotiations for the Benelux agreements and for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), there was a conflict between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Farmers' Central (Centrale paysanne). [4] Created after the war, the latter had taken over the functions of the Chamber of Agriculture and had turned itself into a powerful union containing the vast majority of farmers. [4] Under the leadership of its general secretary Mathias Berns, the Farmers' Central wanted to change Luxembourgish farming policy. [4]

Ministers

1 March 1947 – 14 July 1948

NamePartyOffice
Pierre Dupong CSV Prime Minister
Minister for Finances
Minister for Work, Social Security Provision, and Mines
Minister for Social Assistance
Joseph Bech CSV Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Minister for Viticulture
Nicolas Margue CSV Minister for National Education
Minister for Religion, the Arts, and Science
Minister for Agriculture
Eugène Schaus GD Minister for Justice
Minister for the Interior
Lambert Schaus CSV Minister for Economic Affairs
Minister for the Armed Forces
Alphonse Osch GD Minister for Public Health
Minister for War Damage
Robert Schaffner GD Minister for Public Works
Minister for Transport
Source: Service Information et Presse

14 July 1948 – 3 July 1951

NamePartyOffice
Pierre Dupong CSV Prime Minister
Minister for Finances
Minister for Work, Social Security Provision, and Mines
Minister for the Armed Forces
Joseph Bech CSV Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Minister for Viticulture
Eugène Schaus GD Minister for Justice
Minister for the Interior
Alphonse Osch GD Minister for Public Health
Minister for War Damage
Robert Schaffner GD Minister for Public Works
Minister for Transport
Minister for Reconstruction
Pierre Frieden CSV Minister for National Education
Minister for Religion, the Arts, and Science
Minister for Social Assistance
Aloyse Hentgen CSV Minister for Economic Affairs
Minister for Agriculture
Source: Service Information et Presse

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Thewes (2011), p. 128
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Thewes (2011), p. 130
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Thewes (2011), p. 131
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Thewes (2011), p. 132

Related Research Articles

The politics of Luxembourg takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Luxembourg 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.

Christian Social Peoples Party 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 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).

Luxembourg Socialist Workers Party Political party in Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party, abbreviated to LSAP or POSL, is a social-democratic, pro-European political party in Luxembourg.

Democratic Party (Luxembourg) Political party in Luxembourg

The Democratic Party, abbreviated to DP, is the major 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.

Pierre Dupong

Pierre Dupong was a Luxembourgish politician and statesman. He was the 16th Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving for sixteen years, from 5 November 1937 until his death, on 23 December 1953, and was also responsible at different times for the ministries of finance, the army, agriculture, labour and social matters. He founded the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) as the main conservative party after the Second World War, having been a founding member of the Party of the Right (PD) in 1914.

The National Union Government was a form of national government that governed the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg between 1945 and 13 February 1947, in the direct aftermath of the Second World War. During the war, Luxembourg was invaded, occupied, and annexed by Nazi Germany. Just one of the Luxembourgish casualties of the conflict was the pre-war political system; most of the established parties and alliances disappeared, and some of the leading politicians had lost their lives.

Eugène Schaus

Eugène Schaus was a Luxembourgian politician and jurist. Schaus was a leading light in the early days of the Democratic Party, of which he would be President from 1952 until 1959.

Juncker–Polfer Ministry

The Juncker–Polfer Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 7 August 1999 and 31 July 2004. It was led by, and named after, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and Deputy Prime Minister Lydie Polfer.

Santer-Poos Ministry I

The Santer-Poos I Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 20 July 1984 and 14 July 1989. It was the first of three led by Prime Minister Jacques Santer. Throughout the ministry, the Deputy Prime Minister was Jacques Poos.

Santer-Poos Ministry II

The Santer-Poos Ministry II was the government of Luxembourg between 14 July 1989 and 13 July 1994. It was the second of three led by, and named after, Prime Minister Jacques Santer. Throughout the ministry, the Deputy Prime Minister was Jacques Poos.

The second Werner-Schaus Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 6 February 1969 and 15 June 1974. Throughout the ministry, the Deputy Prime Minister was Eugène Schaus, replacing Henry Cravatte, who had been Deputy Prime Minister in the Werner-Cravatte Ministry.

The Werner-Cravatte Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 15 July 1964 and 6 February 1969. Throughout the ministry, the Deputy Prime Minister was Henry Cravatte, replacing Eugène Schaus, who had been Deputy Prime Minister in the first Werner-Schaus Ministry. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP).

The first Werner-Schaus Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 2 March 1959 and 15 July 1964. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Democratic Party. It was formed after the general election of 1959.

The Frieden Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 29 March 1958 and 23 February 1959 until the death of Pierre Frieden. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP).

The Bech-Bodson Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 29 December 1953 and 29 March 1958. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP).

The Dupong-Bodson Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 3 July 1951 and 23 December 1953. It was a coalition between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP). It was formed after the general election of 1951.

The Liberation Government was formed on 23 November 1944, when the government in exile came to Luxembourg from London and felt forced to include members of the Unio'n vun den Fraiheetsorgansatiounen, the umbrella group of the Luxembourgish Resistance which had been maintaining order since the liberation by American troops on 10 September 1944, in order to tame its critics.

The Bech Ministry came into office in Luxembourg on 16 July 1926 after the resignation of the Prüm Ministry. It was reshuffled on 11 April 1932 and on 27 December 1936. It stepped down after the referendum on the so-called Maulkuerfgesetz, in which the majority of voters decided against the law.

The Reuter Ministry was the government in office in Luxembourg from 28 September 1918 until 20 March 1925. It resulted from the Chamber elections of 28 July and 4 August 1918 and was reshuffled on 5 January 1920 as a result of the elections of 26 October 1919. There was a further reshuffle on 15 April 1921, when the Liberals left the government.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.