2. Geography of Luxembourg
Location: Western Europe, between
France and Germany
Area
Total: 2,586 km
Country comparison to the world: 179
Land: 2,586 km
Water: 0 sq km (landlocked)
Area – comparative: Slightly smaller
than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
Total: 359 km
Border countries: Belgium 148 km,
France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
4. Background of Luxembourg’s political
system
The political structure of Luxembourg functions in a frame of a
parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, with the PM as the
head of government, and of a multi-party structure.
Under the 1868 constitution, as modified, the government (led by the
Grand Duke and the Council of Government, or cabinet, which is
composed of a PM and various other ministers) exercises executive
power.
The PM is frequently the leader of the political party or coalition of
parties who have the majority of parliament seats.
Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament,
while the judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Legislative power is vested in the Chamber of Deputies, directly elected
for five-year terms.
5. Government of Luxembourg
Capital (and largest city):
Luxembourg
Official language(s): French,
German, Luxembourgish
Demonym: Luxembourger
Government: Unitary
parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Grand Duke: Henri
Prime Minister: Jean-Claude
Juncker
Legislature: Chamber of
Deputies
6. Executive Branch
Main office holders
Roles of the office
holders
Office: Grand Duke
Name: Henri
Party: None
Since: 7 October 2000
Office: Prime Minister
Name: Jean-Claude Juncker
Party: CSV
Since: 26 January 1995
Office: Deputy Prime Minister
Name: Jean Asselborn
Party: LSAP
Since: 31 July 2004
Luxembourg has a parliamentary form of
government with a constitutional monarchy
functioning in relation to absolute
primogeniture.
Under the 1868 constitution, the Grand Duke
or Grand Duchess and the cabinet, which is
made up of a PM and various other ministers,
exercises executive power.
The Grand Duke holds the power to dissolve
the legislature and replace it with a new one.
Nonetheless, since 1919, sovereignty has
existed with the state; the monarch is
traditional.
The monarch appoints the PM and the Vice
PM subsequent to the Chamber of Deputies;
they are accountable to the Chamber of
Deputies.
The current government is a CSV-LSAP
coalition.
7. Legislative Branch
The Chamber of Deputies (D'Chamber; Chambre des Députés;
Abgeordnetenkammer) consists of 60 members; those members are elected
to a five-year term through proportional representation in four multi-seat
constituencies.
The Council of State (Staatsrot; Conseil d'État; Staatsrat) is an advisory
body consisting of 21 regular citizens nominated by the Grand Duke; it
advises the Chamber of Deputies in the drafting of legislation.
The task of councillor concludes following a continous or discontinous
fifteen-year period when the relevant individual turns seventy-two.
The duties of the members of the Conseil d'État are extracurricular to their
regular professional responsibilites.
8. Judicial Branch
Luxembourgian law is a composite of local practice, lawful custom,
and French, Belgian, and German structures.
The apex of the judicial structure is the Superior Court of Justice
(Cour Superieure de Justice), whose judges are nominated by
the Grand Duke for life; the same applies to the Administrative
Court (Tribunal Administratif).
10. Parliamentary parties
Alternative Democratic Reform Party
(Alternativ Demokratesch Reformpartei;
Parti réformiste d'alternative démocratique;
Alternative Demokratische Reformpartei)
Christian Social People’s Party (Chrëschtlech
Sozial Vollekspartei;Parti populaire chrétien
social; Christlich Soziale Volkspartei)
Democratic Party (Demokratesch Partei;
Parti démocratique; Demokratische Partei)
The Greens (Déi Gréng; Les verts; Die
Grünen)
The Left (Déi Lénk; La gauche; Die Linke)
Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party
(Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Arbechterpartei;
Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois;
Luxemburger Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei)
11. Henri
Born 16 April 1955 at the Betzdorf Castle.
Current Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 7
October 2000.
Is the oldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of
Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine Charlotte
of Belgium.
His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III
of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden.
Is a nephew of the current King of Belgium,
Albert II.
Has four siblings: Archduchess Marie Astrid of
Austria (born 1954), Prince Jean of Luxembourg
(born 1957), Princess Margaretha of
Liechtenstein (born 1957), and Prince Guillaume
of Luxembourg (born 1963).
Was educated in Luxembourg and in France,
where he earned his baccalaureate in 1974;
subsequently studied political sciences at the
University of Geneva, and graduated in 1980.
Also started military officer training at the Royal
Military Academy Sandhurst in England.
12. Jean-Claude Juncker
Born 9 December 1954 in Redange.
23rd and current PM of Luxembourg since 20
January 1995.
Is the lengthiest-serving head of government
of any EU state; is also the lengthiest-serving
democratically elected current head of any
government in the world.
Served as the President of the Eurogroup
from the semi-lasting’s post establishment in
2005 until 2013.
Was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for
the Christian Social People’s Party in 1984;
instantly advanced to Jacques Santer’s
cabinet as Minister for Work.
Served as Minister for Finances for
Luxembourg between 1989-2009; became
PM when Santer became President of the
European Commission in 1995.
Was also President of the European Council
and served two six-month terms in his
position as PM, in 1997 and 2005.
13. Christian Social People’s Party
Biggest political party in Luxembourg.
Adheres to a Christian-democratic and
conservative ideology; is strongly pro-European,
like most parties in Luxembourg.
Member of the European People’s Party (EPP,
European affiliation and EP group) and the
Centrist Democrat International (International
affiliation).
Has been the biggest party in the Chamber of
Deputies since its founding in 1944; currently has
26/60 seats in the Chamber.
Since WWII, every PM of Luxembourg has been
a member of the CSV; the only exclusion is
Gaston Thorn (1974-1979).
Has three of Luxembourg’s six seats in the EP, as
it has for 20 of the total 30 years in which MEPs
have been elected directly.
Michel Wolter is its president, even though the
leading member is PM Jean Claude-Juncker, who
rules in coalition with the Luxembourg Socialist
Workers’ Party (LSAP).
Eight other members of the CSV sit in the fifteen
member cabinet.
