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Luxembourg: Luxembourg Government Profile 2012

2012/03/16

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Luxembourg Government Profile 2012

Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy. It is called a grand duchy because the ruler is a grand duke or grand duchess—a sovereign of slightly lower rank than a king or queen. Executive power is vested in the grand duke or grand duchess, who is assisted by an appointed president of the government (prime minister) and a Council of Ministers. Legislative power rests with an elected 60-member Chamber of Deputies. There is also an appointed 21-member Council of State, whose function is advisory.

For administrative purposes, Luxembourg is divided into three districts and 12 cantons.

POLITICAL STABILITY

Luxembourg has a long tradition of political stability and this will continue over the forecast period and beyond. The system of proportional representation means that coalition governments are the norm. The Christian Social Party (CSV), which won 38% of the vote at the last election in June 2009, is unlikely to be challenged as the strongest party. It is currently in coalition with the centre-left Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP). The coalition has a comfortable parliamentary majority of 39 seats out of 60. It has avoided a possible risk of a break-up as a  result of a stand-off between the minister of finance, Luc Frieden (CSV), who wanted to modify the wage indexation system, and some of his socialist colleagues, who together with the trade unions strongly resisted the change (although the minister for the economy, Jeannot Krecke (LSAP), had come out in favour of reform). In the end, however, the CSV has largely backed down, agreeing to no changes to the system but to a possible slight delay of the date when the next increase in wages of 2.5% takes effect, to October 2011.

There could be further disputes over other economic issues like pension reform, but the chances of a break-up of the coalition now look low. If by any chance this were to occur, the likely outcome would be a new coalition of the CSV with one or more of the opposition parties. The opposition is dispersed between the centre-right Democratic Party (DP) with nine seats, the Green Party with seven seats, the moderately nationalist Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) with four seats and The Left with one seat. Either the Greens or the DP would on their present representation be able to provide the CSV with a parliamentary majority.

ELECTION WATCH

The last parliamentary election was in June 2009.
The centre-left coalition that took office again after the election, having served a previous term, is expected to remain in office for the full five years until the next general election falls due in June 2014. As noted above, there is a conceivable  risk of the government collapsing before then (although not in the near future). If this were to happen, the CSV could form another government with the DP within the existing parliament. It is also possible that a new coalition would seek legitimacy through a new election.

Administrative Offices in Luxembourg

Contact information for the national and local administrative centres of Luxembourg. The place to go for residency papers, vehicle registration papers, driving licences and more.

Many government and municipal public administration organisations offer information relevant to foreigners, though it is generally only in French. The main administrative offices are listed below.

The Bierger Center is the central administration office of Luxembourg City which deals with all local administrative formalities. Citizens can register here when arriving in Luxembourg, obtain identity cards and residence certificates, notify a change of address, enroll on the electoral list, get their tax card, declare their dogs and get help to obtain Luxembourg nationality.

  • Bierger Center
    At    : Centre Hamilius, 51 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg City
    Tel: 47 96-22 00
    Fax: 26 27 09 99
    Open: Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00

Some administrative formalities are carried out at the Registry/Public Records Office (Bureau de l'Etat Civil). These include birth and death declarations and the preliminary formalities for a marriage or a civil partnership (partnenariat).

  • Administration Communale
    At    : Hôtel de Ville - État-Civil, L-2090 Luxembourg
    Open: Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00, Saturday 09:30-11:00 (for birth and death declarations)

Certain certificates can be ordered online, including birth, death, marriage, and residence certificates. Payment can be made by bank transfer or mobile telephone. Instructions for payment are provided when ordering online.

For residents living outside of Luxembourg City, administrative formalities are carried out at the local Municipality Office of their locality of residence (commune).

  • For a list of other cantons and their communes and contact details: Click here

Municipal Offices in Luxembourg

Local municipal offices provide information on local services in the commune, emergency numbers, sports and recreation facilities, public transport and tourism.

  • Luxembourg Commune
    At    : 42 Place Guillaume II, L-2090 Luxembourg
    Tel: 47 96-1
    Open: Monday to Friday 08:00-12:00 and 13:30-18:00
  • Esch-sur-Alzette Commune
    At    : Biergeramt, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, L-4002 Esch-sur-Alzette
    Tel: 54 73 83-777
    Fax: 54 29 27
    Open: Monday to Friday 07:00-18:00
  • Echternach Commune
    At    : 2 Place du Marché, L- 6401 Echternach
    Tel: 72 92 22-1
    Fax: 72 92 22 51
    Open: Monday to Friday 08:30-11:30 and 14:00-16:30

Government Administration Information

One single telephone number enables callers to contact any Ministry or government administration office in Luxembourg.

  • Tel: 2478 2478

Alternatively, it is possible to contact any governmental public office directly by dialling 247 plus the office extension number. Extension numbers can be found online or in the hard copy of the white pages, available free of charge in all post offices.

  • To search for a government office number: Click here

National Health Insurance (Caisses de Maladies)

Luxembourg social security is centrally managed by the CCSS (Centre Commun de la Sécurité Sociale)

  • CCSS
    At    : 125 Route d'Esch, L-1471 Luxembourg
    Tel: 40 141-1
    Fax: 40 44 81
    Open: Monday to Friday from 08:00-16:00

Tax Offices

The tax office of Luxembourg residents is indicated on their tax card.

  • For a complete list of Luxembourg tax office adresses and contact numbers: Click here

Immigration Office

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et de l'Immigration) provides information and assistance in English to future Luxembourg residents.

  • Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et de l'Immigration
    At    : 5 Rue Notre-Dame, L-2240 Luxembourg
    Tel: 24 78 23 00
    Fax: 52 22 31 44

Main European Organisations

  • European Parliament
    At    : Plateau du Kirchberg, L-2929 Luxembourg
    Tel: 43 00-1
    Fax: 43 00-24842

  • European Court of Justice
    At    : Rue du Fort Niedergrünewald, L- 2925 Luxembourg
    Tel: 43 03-1
    Fax: 43 03 26 00

Legal Advice

Legal advice on Luxembourg laws is provided in English free-of-charge by appointment from the Ministry of Justice (Ministère de la Justice).

  • Ministère de la Justice
    At    : 16 Boulevard
Government type: 

constitutional monarchy

Administrative divisions: 

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence: 

1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday: 

National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

Constitution: 

17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Legal system: 

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Legislative branch: 

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP 15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; seats by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1

Judicial branch: 

judicial courts and tribunals (three Justices of the Peace, two district courts, and one Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders : 

Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Michel WOLTER]; Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: 

ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation: 

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description: 

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)

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