Read these and other headlines in our roundup of the political goings-on this week.
What’s the big deal?
Civil services salaries are set to rise after parliament waved through an agreement struck between the government and public sector union CGFP last year. Salaries are calculated based on an index, with different levels of seniority receiving a different number of points. Salaries for the first 100 points will rise 5% this year. This is equivalent to €111 for high-ranking civil servants and €105 for lower-ranking state employees.
In 2024, there will be a point increase of 1.95% resulting in higher wages for all state employees. This on top of indexation. The measure will cost the state €45m this year and €74m next year. Typical earnings for senior civil servants are 33% above national average at a , data released by the government last year shows. State employees earned an average €6,742 a month before tax.
Top stories
- Luxembourg on Thursday scrapped most of the last remaining covid-19 restrictions, abolishing an obligation to isolate after a positive test as well as mask mandates in hospitals and nursing homes.
- The economic committee--which includes the government but also labour and business unions--next week is due to discuss a for the real estate sector, which is seeing record unemployment amid a slowdown in business.
- The CID Fraen an Gender discussed its for the upcoming elections with Delano, from reforming the housing market to alleviate pressure on overcrowded domestic violence shelters to making public spaces safer for women.
From parliament
- Lawmakers this week passed a motion to work with the government on developing more ways for in political decision-making. For example, they want to assess setting up a permanent citizens’ council that advises parliament and the government. The aim is to make politics more inclusive, also of the country’s large foreign population who cannot vote in national elections.
- MPs also passed a funding package worth €7bn for Luxembourg’s rail network for the period from 2025 to 2039. The agreement also means that national rail operator CFL can continue running the network without public calls for tender that could have opened the door to private competitors.
- The cabinet under prime minister (DP) on Wednesday adopted a plan to increase state subsidies for childminders via the so-called cheque-service-accueil system. The tariff will increase from €3 to €5.40 per hour per child. And childminders will get €3,000 to help them set up their home with appropriate furniture and materials. The proposals will need to be assessed and validated by the Chamber of Deputies.
Quote of the week
Nuclear is neither sustainable, nor safe, nor fast.
Bettel (DP) spoke with Politico ahead of an EU summit in Brussels this week where discussions on the role of nuclear energy in the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act were on the agenda. France has been pushing for nuclear energy to be included, allowing access to fast-track permitting processes and funding.
Elections
- Déi Gréng’s elections committee has as the party’s candidate for prime minister in the October national elections. This decision will need to be confirmed by the party’s members at a congress next week.
- On the local elections side, the City of Luxembourg is still , with just over 8,800 non-nationals having signed up to vote in June out of more than 81,000 eligible foreign residents. Registration is open and at the citizens’ office until 17 April at 5pm. Anyone registered to vote in the local elections but expecting to be out of the country on election day--11 June--can already .
Brussels calling
- The European Commission this week proposed a plan to and present companies from making false or misleading claims about the green credentials of their products.
- In a European Investment Bank meanwhile, more than half (55%) of Luxembourg respondents listed climate change as the top global challenge to tackle. A majority also said that their behaviour can make a difference and more than three quarters said they’re willing to pay more for local and sustainable food, but they were unwilling to give up on cars.
In other news
Luxembourg ranked in the bottom three of an on housing. The country scored 38th out of 52 countries in total in the InterNation’s Expat Essentials Index but placed 50th for access and affordability to housing. It ranked fourth for administrative matters and 31st for language, the other two categories assessed.