© Pedro Venâncio / RTL
The Christian Social People's Party (CSV) announced their 60 candidates for the parliamentary elections later this year, which they elected at a convention held at the 'Tramsschapp' in Limpertsberg on Saturday morning.
A new feature of this year's campaign programme is that the CSV will for a first time propose double-headed lists in each constituency. The selected candidates passed with 92% of the vote, none of the four district lists were unanimously approved.
In the Centre, national list leader Luc Frieden will enter the electoral race with party co-president Elisabeth Margue. The South will be headed by the MP-mayors Georges Mischo (Esch-sur-Alzette) and Gilles Roth (Mamer).
MP Martine Hansen and MEP Christophe Hansen have been chosen to run as lead candidates in the North while MPs Léon Gloden and Max Hengel seek to represent the East.
The lists of 60 candidates in total were validated on Saturday morning at the CSV convention. Most, but not all of the sitting MPs, are standing for reelection.
Local politicians well-represented in the Centre
Numerous candidates that were elected in the recent municipal elections are on the Centre list, including: the Hesperange duo of mayor Marc Lies and alderwoman Diane Adehm, Weiler-la-Tour mayor Vincent Reding, as well as Luxembourg City municipal councillor Emilie Costantini and alderman Maurice Bauer.
The Centre list also includes pharmacist Alain de Bourcy, pastry chef Jean-Marie Hoffmann, young hotelier Marie-Laure Goeres, and lawyer Danira Mustafic.
MP Claude Wiseler, who is also running for reelection, received 27,000 votes in 2018 when the CSV secured seven mandates in the Centre.
Vivian Reding, who at the time had the fourth-most ballots cast in her favour, has in the meantime given up her mandate and will not run again.
Also not included is Fred Ternes, the recently-elected mayor of Niederanven.
New lead candidates in the South
In 2018, the CSV won seven mandates in the South with 27% of the vote, same as in the central district. MPs Marc Spautz and Felix Eischen both topped the list with close to 29,000 votes each.
The current lead candidates are MP and Esch-sur-Alzette mayor Georges Mischo and MP and Mamer Mayor Gilles Roth. Newcomer on the list is Pascal Ricquier, president of the National Syndicate of the Grand Ducal Police (SNPGL).
Further candidates include municipal councillors Françoise Kemp from Dudelange, Nathalie Morgenthaler from Sanem, Emina Ceman and Guy Tempels from Differdange, as well as Christian Weis, alderman of Esch-sur-Alzette.
The following mayors will not be taking part in the upcoming legislative elections: Jeannot Fürpass (Mondercange), Paul Weimerskirch (Schifflange), and Jean Weiler (Kayl).
Hansen duo to lead in the North
The CSV will have to defend four mandates (32% of the vote) in the North. MEP Christophe Hansen, who did not take part in the last parliamentary elections, is running as the co-lead candidate of MP Martine Hansen.
Also running will be newly elected mayors Myriam Schaack-Binck (Rambrouch) and Charel Weiler (Diekirch), former mayors Emile Eicher (Clervaux) and Jean-Paul Schaaf (Ettelbruck), Jeff Boonen (Beckerich), second alderwoman Anne Steichen (Grosbous), as well as second alderman Jim Leweck (Bourscheid).
No longer seeking representation are former MPs Marco Schank and Aly Kaes, who received 14,000 and 12,000 votes, respectively, in 2018.
Three mandates to be defended in the East
MP and Grevenmacher mayor Léo Gloden and MP and Wormeldange mayor Max Hengel are heading the CSV list in the eastern constituency. The party seeks to defend three existing mandates.
The list further includes MP Octavie Modert, Rosport mayor Stéphanie Weydert, Linster alderman Raphaël Schmitz, Remich alderwoman Rita Wallerich, and Echternach councillor Ricardo Marques.
Former MP Françoise Hetto-Gaasch is not running for reelection.
