The Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies: promoting democratic governance

Structure and composition

The Chamber of Deputies is made up of 60 deputies elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term, through a system of proportional representation. For the legislative elections, the country is divided into four electoral constituencies (North - Centre - East - South), each of which is represented by a fixed number of deputies.

Several parties are currently represented and contribute to Luxembourg's political dynamism:

• the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) with 21 deputies;
• the Democratic Party (DP) with 14 deputies;
• the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) with 11 deputies;
• the Democratic Reform Party (ADR) with five deputies;
• The Greens (déi Gréng): with four deputies;
• the Pirates with three deputies;
• the Left (déi Lénk) with two deputies.

Generally speaking, the deputies are divided into two main groups in the Chamber: "the majority" which brings together deputies who are members of the parties that form the government, and "the opposition", which includes all other deputies.

The plenary sessions of the Chamber are chaired by a president, often referred to as the "first citizen of the country". The president also heads the Conference of Presidents, which is responsible for organising the work of the Chamber, and represents the Chamber at national and international events. The president is supported by vice-presidents and an administrative team.

The Chamber convenes in the capital at the "Krautmaart" (Marché aux herbes) and its meetings are generally public.

A transparent legislative process

The legislative procedure begins with the introduction of bills by members of the government or deputies. The texts are then referred to one or more parliamentary committees and a rapporteur is appointed. The texts are also passed on to professional chambers and the Council of State for their evaluation and opinion. At the end of this process, the rapporteur draws up a summary and submits it for debate at a public session.

During these debates, all deputies and members of the government can express their views on the text. However, the text can still be amended during the public session if requested by at least five deputies.

Finally, the text is subject to a vote during a plenary session. The Constitution stipulates that a second vote must take place no earlier than three months after the first vote; however, the Chamber commonly asks the Council of State to dispense with this vote. This dispensation is generally granted if there are no formal objections to the text.

This process ensures a careful examination of the legislative proposals and guarantees that the interests of all citizens are carefully taken into account. The general public can stay informed at all times through online broadcast of debates and parliamentary committee meetings, as well as the publication of the decisions. The transparency of the democratic process is a fundamental principle of the Chamber of Deputies. It is crucial in order to prevent corruption and strengthen public confidence in political institutions.

Public petitions

The Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies actively encourages participatory democracy through public petitions. These petitions allow residents to raise their concerns and submit their ideas. Once received, the petitions can be signed by the general public. For a petition to be accepted, 4,500 valid signatures must be collected within six weeks. The petition will then be discussed in a public debate and broadcast live. The members of parliament and members of the government other than the petitioner(s) may take part in the debate.

This initiative cultivates citizen participation, encourages open dialogue between residents and political stakeholders, and ensures that the public’s opinion is taken into account in the legislative process.