Coalition partners sign agreement  

(CS/CBu) While a vote on the new coalition programme by the DP, LSAP and “déi Gréng” is still outstanding, delegates of the three parties symbolically signed the agreement on Friday afternoon.

“Formateur” Xavier Bettel unveiled only some details of the agreement on Friday, saying that the assemblies of the coalition parties should be allowed to see the full programme first.

However, it was announced, which parties would be taking on which dossiers for the coming legislative period.

The distribution runs as follows:

• DP: Prime Minister and Ministry of State, finance, treasury, budget, family, integration, education and vocational training, children and youth, higher education and research, housing, agriculture, consumer protection, communication and media, culture, religious affairs, Greater Region and parliamentary relations
• LSAP: Vice-Premier, economy and foreign trade, middle classes, tourism, foreign affairs, immigration and asylum, defence, police, cooperation and humanitarian aid, health, social security, public service, administrative reform, labour and employment, interior affairs, equal opportunities and sport
• “Déi Gréng”: Justice, sustainable development, infrastructure, transport, environment, water management, public works and land development

Programme outlined but no details given

Outlining the programme, Bettel said that the new government would undertake a tax reform, while pointing out that Luxembourg would have to maintain the lowest VAT rates in Europe.

The coalition also plans to present a budget over the coming months, with a particular focus on limiting spending and “social selectivity”.

Budget and finances are one of the country’s biggest challenges, Bettel commented. 

In regards to family and social policies, the new coalition wants to review all current services. One example cited by the future Prime Minister was unemployment benefits, which need to be examined for the effectiveness to help jobseekers reintegrate into the labour market.

Speaking about education, the next government said that it wants a reform of vocational training. In order to enhance childcare, the parties also plan to appoint a school president.

Full programme available on Tuesday

Following this short presentation, Xavier Bettel and Claude Meisch (DP), as well as Etienne Schneider (LSAP) and Félix Braz ("déi Gréng") signed the coalition agreement, which will now be put forward to their respective parties for a vote.

The vote is planned for Tuesday, which is also when the full agreement will be made public, Bettel confirmed, refusing to answer further questions about its content by journalists.

Tuesday should also be the day when the new cabinet is unveiled. The CSV-LSAP government will officially resign on the morning of December 4, with the ministers expected to be sworn in by the Grand Duke in the afternoon.

On Thursday then, the final MPs will also be sworn in.