Tripartite law represents 'a manipulation of the index', says Myriam Cecchetti

The government "did not expect this much backlash" against the decisions regarding the index, which is why the tripartite law was partially adapted, Cecchetti said in her interview with our colleagues from RTL Radio.

"In any case," Cecchetti added, the tripartite law that will be debated in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday represents a "manipulation of the index". The Left Part supports the index system, even though it is "clear" that wage indexations alone will not be enough to compensate for the current loss in purchasing power, the MP stated. After all, the index is "not a social measure" because it is paid out by companies, according to Cecchetti. Social measures such as the tax credit, on the other hand, are partially funded through taxes paid by workers. These are thus "two different animals," Cecchetti pointed out.

The MP stressed that the Left Party has been demanding structural changes, such as raising the minimum wage or adjusting the tax table for inflation, "for years". The current inflation is a serious problem for numerous households, including middle-class households, Cecchetti stated, criticising that the state is "not assuming its responsibilities" in that regard. If the state can identify the most vulnerable people, then it should be able to do the same for companies, the MP stressed. Cecchetti argued that financial aid to businesses should be more targeted, and that the government should not manipulate the index to "hand out money to everyone."

The relationship with the OGBL

Politically, the Left Party and the Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) are "close" and are working together in the context of the discussions surrounding the index, Cecchetti stated. The MP explained that the opposition party and the country's largest trade union have worked together in the past as well and intend to do so again in the future, for instance on the topic of family allowance. Cecchetti stressed that the Left Party also supports its members who want to join a trade union, regardless of which trade union they choose.

Gentrification of Gare neighbourhood pushes crime elsewhere

When it comes to crime and security in Luxembourg City, the Left Party believes that these issues are the result of "decades of terrible policy decisions by the Democratic Party (DP)." The Gare neighbourhood "has long been neglected," Cecchetti said, adding that issues such as crime, prostitution, drug trafficking, and homelessness have always existed in the area surrounding the central railway station, which the DP "has simply allowed to become worse." According to the MP, the neighbourhood is now being "gentrified," for example, by connecting it to the tramway system. As a result, everything "that doesn't fit" must now be removed, Cecchetti stated, adding that this includes marginalised people. According to Cecchetti, the municipality is thus merely relocating the problem rather than addressing it with appropriate social measures.