It quickly became clear after first results were announced that the status quo will persist in the capital as the Democrats came out on top of the vote and initiated coalition talks with the Christian Social People's Party.
Incumbent Mayor Lydie Polfer from the Democratic Party (DP) did not lose any time after the votes had been counted and announced shortly after midnight that coalition talks with the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) were to begin.
Mayor Polfer praised the way in which both parties collaborated during the last term and said that the retaining of 16 combined seats also speaks for residents' satisfaction with their work.
Overview of results
The CSV and lead candidate Serge Wilmes intended to turn Luxembourg City into the "best place to live" and the Greens and François Benoy wanted to bring a "fresh wind" into the capital. But this was not meant to be.
The DP and Mayor Lydie Polfer won one seat and now have ten out of 27 spots on the municipal council. The CSV lost 4.4% and one seat, now having six. The Greens lost 0.7%, but retained their five seats. The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) lost 0.4%, but also retained their three seats.
In conversation with RTL, Wilmes acknowledged the slight disappointment of the result and gave little consideration to the idea of ousting the DP by teaming up with the LSAP and the Greens. He explained that it was the clear goal of the CSV to come out of the election stronger than before and that this had not been achieved with one lost seat.
Benoy was unwilling to speculate about potentially joining the coalition before all votes had been counted.
Mayor Polfer was thrilled to see her party win one seat and described it as confirmation that people are satisfied with how the capital is run. When asked about the role that Corinne Cahen will play, who is currently still Minister for Family Affairs and Integration and Minister for the Greater Region, Mayor Polfer said that it will be up to her colleague to decide whether she will fill the seat on the municipal council.
The LSAP's Gabriel Boisante interpreted the status quo as confirmation that the ideas of the socialists spoke to people during the campaign. He further noted that the party will continue with its efforts once the votes have been counted.
The Pirate Party meanwhile won its first seat on the Luxembourg City municipal council. Pascal Clement, father of MP Sven Clement, gained enough votes to earn one of the prestigious spots.
This gain comes at the cost of the Left, which lost one seat. MP Nathalie Oberweis is the party's only person to remain in power in the capital.
As for the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), they retained one seat on the council, which will be filled by Tom Weidig.
Neither new party Fokus nor the local citizens' list were able to win enough votes for a seat on the council.
