Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg)

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Chamber of Deputies

D'Chamber
Chambre des Députés
Abgeordnetenkammer
President
Claude Wiseler (CSV)
since November 21, 2023
First Vice President
Michel Wolter (CSV)
since November 21, 2023
Second Vice President
Fernand Etgen (DP)
since November 21, 2023
Third Vice President
Mars Di Bartolomeo (LSAP)
since November 21, 2023
Structure
Seats60
Political groups
Government (35)
  CSV (21)
  DP (14)

Opposition (25)

  LSAP (11)
  ADR (5)
  Greens (4)
  Pirates (3)
  The Left (2)
Elections
four constituencies
Last election
8 October 2023
Meeting place
Hôtel de la Chambre, Krautmaart, Luxembourg City
Website
www.chd.lu
Politics of Luxembourg
Constitution
Monarchy
Executive
Legislature
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations

The Chamber of Deputies (

metonym Krautmaart (French: Marché aux herbes, English: "Herb Market") is sometimes used for the Chamber, after the square on which the Hôtel de la Chambre
is located.

The Chamber is made up of 60 seats. Deputies are elected to serve five-year terms by

four multi-seat constituencies
. Voters may vote for as many candidates as the constituency elects deputies.

History

1800s

The constitution of 1841 created the

Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the legislature's powers were very restricted: it could not take decisions and had a purely advisory role with respect to the monarch. Its consent was necessary in very few matters. Only the sovereign could propose laws. The assembly was in session only 15 days a year, and these sessions were held in secret.[1]

In a climate marked by the democratic revolutionary movements in France and elsewhere, a new constitution was drafted in 1848 by a Constituent Assembly. This introduced a constitutional monarchy: the King-Grand Duke retained only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution. The parliament, now called the Chambre des Députés, had the legislative power: it had the right to propose and amend laws. It would decide the budget and received the power to investigate. The government became accountable to the Chamber. In addition, its sessions were now public.[1]

In 1853,

Putsch of 1856. The parliament, now renamed the Assemblée des Etats, retained its legislative powers, but the Grand Duke was no longer required to approve and promulgate its laws within a certain period. Taxes no longer had to be voted on annually, and the permanent budget was re-introduced. The Council of State was created in 1856 as a check on the Chamber. Its role was to render opinions on proposed bills and regulations.[1]

After Luxembourg's neutrality and independence had been affirmed in the

Second Treaty of London
, in 1868, the constitution was revised to obtain a compromise between the liberties of 1848 and the authoritarian charter of 1856. The parliament was renamed the Chambre des Députés and regained most of the rights it lost in 1856, such as the annual vote on the budget and taxes. However, the King Grand-Duke still kept wide-ranging powers: he exercised executive power, and wielded legislative power alongside the Chamber.

World Wars

The constitutional changes of 1919 brought in universal suffrage and affirmed the principle of national sovereignty.[2] These steps on a pathway of democratisation took place in a period of crisis of the monarchy, famine, and difficulties in supplying food. Grand Duchess Charlotte remained the head of state, and the co-wielder of legislative power.

Most elections between

East, and elections were staggered
so that only deputies from one pair of constituencies were up for election at any given time.

During World War II, from 1940 to 1944 under German occupation of Luxembourg, the Chamber was dissolved by the Nazis and the country annexed into the "Gau Moselland". The Grand Ducal family and the Luxembourgish government went into exile, first in the United Kingdom, and later in Canada and the United States.

The first post-war session was opened on 6 December 1944 and was limited to one public sitting, as there was no quorum. A consultative assembly sat from March to August 1945, and new elections were held in October 1945. The post-war Chamber proceeded to revise the constitution again, which abolished the country's state of neutrality.

Since 1945

1965 saw the introduction of parliamentary commissions. The establishment of specialised and permanent commissions would facilitate the work of the legislature. The previous organisation of the Chamber into sections, un-specialised and with members chosen at random, had not been effective. Another innovation concerned political groups. They were now officially recognised, and received premises, and subsidies based on their proportion of seat. These material means were dwarfed by those established in 1990.[1]

Changes to the Chamber's rules in 1990 and 1991 substantially increased the material means available to political groups, and contributed to a professionalisation of politics. In addition, every Deputy had the right to an office close to the Chamber building. The Chamber reimbursed the Deputies' staff expenses. Funds were now also available to "technical groups", following the protests of the small parties at the start of the new session in 1989.

In 2003, a new law established the office of the mediator and ombudsman. This was attached to the Chamber, but would not receive instructions from any authority in exercising his or her functions. They would deal with citizens' complaints concerning the central or local government administration, and other public entities. They would attempt to resolve disputes between parties, acting as a mediator. Every year, they would present a report to the Chamber.

Since January 2008, the political parties have been directly funded by the state. Their accounts were to be strictly separate from those of the parliamentary political groups. There were to be two different structures, each with their own staff. In order to receive public funds, a party must provide evidence of regular political activity, present complete lists of candidates at the legislative and European elections, and have received at least 2% of the vote.[1]

Functions

The function of the Chamber of Deputies is covered under Chapter IV of the

parliamentary democracy,[4] in which the Chamber is elected by universal suffrage under the d'Hondt method of Party-list proportional representation.[5]

All laws must be passed by the Chamber.

absolute majority, provided that a quorum of half of the deputies is present.[8]

Composition

Group photo (not all Deputies)

The Chamber is composed of sixty members, called

four constituencies, which are each a combination of at least two cantons
. Each constituency elects a number of deputies proportionate to its population, with the largest electing 23 and the smallest electing 7.

Constituency Cantons MPs
Centre
Mersch
 21
East
Remich
 7
North
Wiltz
 9
South
Esch-sur-Alzette
 23

Elections

See also: Elections in Luxembourg

Electoral system

Deputies are elected by universal suffrage every five years, with the last election having been held on 8 October 2023. Deputies are elected by open list proportional representation, whereby all electors may vote for as many candidates as their constituency has seats. Each party is allocated a number of seats in proportion to the total number of votes cast for its candidates in that constituency. These seats are then allocated to that party's candidates in descending order of votes that each candidate received.

Latest election

Main article: 2023 Luxembourg general election
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social People's Party1,099,42729.21210
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party711,89018.9111+1
Democratic Party703,83318.7014+2
Alternative Democratic Reform Party348,9909.275+1
The Greens321,8958.554–5
Pirate Party Luxembourg253,5546.743+1
The Left147,8393.9320
Fokus93,8392.490New
Liberté - Fräiheet! [lb]42,6431.130New
Communist Party of Luxembourg24,2750.6400
The Conservatives8,4940.2300
Volt Luxembourg7,0010.190New
Total3,763,680100.00600
Valid votes231,34492.55
Invalid votes10,7354.29
Blank votes7,8893.16
Total votes249,968100.00
Registered voters/turnout286,71187.18
Source: Government of Luxembourg

Hôtel de la Chambre

Main article: Hôtel de la Chambre

The Chamber of Deputies holds session in the

Grand Ducal Palace, which had, until then, been used as one of many venues for the Chamber's convocations.[9]

The building was designed by

neo-classical architectural styles.[9] The Grand Ducal Palace, by contrast, was built over time in several architectural styles (primarily Renaissance and Baroque), but renovated in 1891 in a historicist neo-Renaissance manner.[10] The large portrait of Grand Duke Henri was painted by Belgian artist Louis Van Gorp
.

Current composition

Affiliation Deputies
G Christian Social People's Party (CSV) 21
G Democratic Party (DP) 14
O Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) 11
O Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) 5
O The Greens (Déi Gréng) 4
O Pirate Party (Piratepartei) 3
O The Left (Déi Lénk) 2
 Total
 60
 Government Majority
 5

Government parties are denoted with the letter G, with the Christian Social People's Party holding the office of Prime Minister (Luc Frieden). O stands for opposition.

Members

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e "Histoire parlementaire" (in French). Luxembourg. 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  2. S2CID 147639497
    .
  3. ^ Constitution, Article 50
  4. ^ Constitution, Article 51
  5. ^ Constitution, Article 51(3)
  6. ^ Constitution, Article 46
  7. ^ Constitution, Article 59
  8. ^ Constitution, Article 62
  9. ^ a b "The Chamber of Deputies". Service Information et Presse. 21 November 2003. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  10. ^ "Historical survey" (PDF). Luxembourg City Tourist Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008.

References

  • "Constitution" (PDF) (in French). Service central de législation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-02-16. Retrieved 2008-04-05.

External links

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