52% of residents concerned about their finances

Times are tough and Luxembourg's residents are very aware of that. Although economically solid, the country is suffering, like others, the consequences of the economic crisis. The instability caused by the war in Ukraine, the late stages of the coronavirus crisis, and rising prices are all contributing factors to the current crisis situation.

These factors of uncertainty are reflected in the results of the latest Politmonitor survey, conducted by TNS Ilres for RTL and Luxemburger Wort, on the concerns of Luxembourg's residents and their opinion on the state of society.

Housing is on everyone's mind

As every year, the Politmonitor offers the Grand Duchy's residents an opportunity to share their main concerns.

Over the years, their number one priority has not changed: access to affordable housing still tops the list. The shortage of low-cost housing and rising property prices - and more recently interest rates - are making life difficult for many residents. Homeowner debt is a concern even at the highest EU levels, while those on low incomes find that rent takes up a large part of their monthly budget.

Overall, three out of four residents say they are concerned by these housing problems. This is slightly less than in the previous survey in November 2021.

Statements

Luxembourgers fear for their budget

But Luxembourg's residents have new problems on their minds. First and foremost, inflation and soaring energy prices. In recent months, the prices of gas, fuel, and heating oil have soared. More than eight out of ten residents are worried about the evolution of prices.

Energy prices are not the only ones to have soared. The war in Ukraine is undermining global markets already strained by the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, many residents are suffering from the sharp rise in prices: 52% of the country's voters fear for their budget. This is particularly true of those aged 35 to 44 (67%). While half of the country feels that its financial situation has not changed over the past year, three out of ten people feel that it has worsened. Only 14% saw an improvement.

Nevertheless, Luxembourg's residents do not yet consider themselves to be in danger: more than 81% of adults in the country say they are in a solid financial situation.

Financial Impact

With these fears as a backdrop, the Luxembourg population is divided over the measures to protect purchasing power adopted by the government and the social partners during the tripartite meeting. In particular, the postponement of the next wage indexation to 2023. A majority of those surveyed accept it (53%) but three out of ten residents reject the decision (36%) and one in ten voters do not know what to think.

Index-reported

Climate, children.. still in the center of the concerns

Despite these day-to-day problems, a more global and long-term concern remains: the consequences of climate change. The floods of the summer of 2021, or more recently the heat wave in May, have certainly served as a reminder.

The future of the planet is not the only thing on the minds of the Grand Duchy's residents. More than one in two is also concerned about the future of generations to come.

Finally, although it has been put aside for two years and has (temporarily) become a side issue, the country's traffic problems are very much present. The lifting of health restrictions and the economic recovery could help bring them back to the fore.

Top 3 issues

An increasingly "unjust" society for workers ?

The results of the survey indicate that more and more of Luxembourg's residents feel that society is "unjust": one in two people in the Grand Duchy do so. Conversely, fewer people find it "fair".

However, there are clear differences between both age and gender. Overall, more women than men describe society as "unjust".

A similar divide that is found between retirees and those of working age. According to TNS Ilres, a majority of people aged 65 and over find society "fair". But they are the only ones: all residents of working age, i.e. between 18 and 65, find it "unjust".

State of Society - Age&Gender

This view of Luxembourg's society is more nuanced when considering political factors. Voters of government parties are generally more positive than those of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), for example. But even within the coalition, there is a divide: 57% of Democratic Party (DP) voters say they find society "fair", compared to 51% of Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) voters, and 46% of Green Party (Déi Gréng) voters.

State Society - Regular voters

The second part of the Politmonitor poll will be published on our website at 6pm on Wednesday evening.

Methodology of the survey:

The Politmonitor is a study carried out by TNS Ilres for RTL and the Luxemburger Wort. A total of 1,048 residents aged 18 and over, representative of the Luxembourg population, were interviewed by telephone and online between 17 and 25 May 2022. You can find details here or via on Alia.lu.