In conversation with RTL, the MP and co-president of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) discussed the party's ambitions for the municipal and legislative elections later this year and the things that set them apart from other parties.
How does it feel that Luc Frieden has been chosen as the saviour of the party who will hopefully lead the CSV out of the opposition, something that you failed to do during the last election?
"I personally asked Luc Frieden to do so because I thought that it is the best solution for the party in the coming election. I am happy that he said yes, I think that we will enter the race as a team and we are much stronger with him on our side."
What will be the profile of the CSV now that Frieden is back?
"First I want to say that both election campaigns are different, one cannot conflate the municipal and Chamber elections. The municipal elections will be made up of 50 to 70 individual campaigns with individual issues ... that is the first part of the response. The second part is that Luc Frieden might surely be the lead candidate for the party, but we have an entire team behind him, 21 MPs, 46 mayors, 77 aldermen, 192 councillors, 696 candidates, meaning an entire team. The character of the 'people's party' is reflected in the solutions that are not only designed for one part of the population, but that try to create a consensus for everyone living in Luxembourg."
Given that your policies are closely aligned to those of other major parties, what will differentiate the CSV from others?
"What differentiates us is not the choice of issues, but the response that we have and the will to implement it. For instance, many promises have been made in healthcare in recent years, same on the issue of security, but not a lot has happened. If you look at our propositions as alternatives, then you can see that they will later have a certain efficacy when implemented and we guarantee as politicians that we will implement them. I think that is a big difference."
Serge Wilmes looks happy with being the junior partner in a Luxembourg City coalition with the Democratic Party (DP). Would a similar relationship on a national level be satisfying to the CSV?
"In Luxembourg City, I see it slightly differently than how you described it, I think that Serge has a good team and good policies and the necessary ... energy to take more responsibility. It will be up to voters to decide what they want, but I know that these ambitions have been clearly voiced and we as a party are completely behind him. And the same response is evidently true for the national elections."
