© Luc Rollmann / RTL
The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) held their national congress in Leudelange on Sunday and approved Minister of Health Paulette Lenert as their lead candidate for the parliamentary elections in October.
"You will again be able to count on my commitment. I will do everything in my power to win these elections with you", Lenert told delegates, who approved her as the national lead candidate with 225 out of 226 votes.
Congress president Alex Bodry voiced his conviction that the Deputy PM is the right choice. Addressing Lenert directly, he said: "You fit into your party, a left people's party, which reaches into the middle of society. We should focus on ourselves and consider our strengths."
A 'democratically chosen' manifesto
LSAP members on Sunday settled on their campaign issues for the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the process, they at times challenged the directions taken by the other parties in the country.
"They could have held a unity congress", said MP Dan Kersch about the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), the Democratic Party (DP), and the Greens.
The manifesto of the LSAP, on the other hand, has been thoroughly discussed in democratic manner at all party levels, Kersch further promised.
What to expect from the LSAP
The campaign manifesto most notably focuses on the role of young people and future generations in shaping the world of tomorrow.
The LSAP therefore wants to award the right to vote to people as young as 16 and introduce tax credits to help young people at the beginning of their careers.
Major investments into the construction of affordable housing are to be made, explained co-party president Dan Biancalana: "A home is not a financial product, this is exactly where we will deliver."
According to the LSAP, it should be the central aim of education to accompany every child and youth as well as possible to increase equality of opportunity.
Party members lamented that the coalition partners prevented them from implementing a major tax reform. Nevertheless, they are still convinced of the idea and propose 18 concrete measures to increase tax justice.
Similarly, the LSAP continues planning a work-time reduction to 38-hour weeks with full salary and a €100 increase of the minimum wage as of June 2024. A "robot tax" is further hoped to help finance the pension system.
"The LSAP is not the party of particular interests, but the party for all the people. We want everyone to have the right to a good life. We want a just society", underlined co-party president Francine Closener.
'Realistic' healthcare
As for healthcare policies, the LSAP promises to be realistic in contrast to the "populist" ideas spread by other parties in recent weeks.
Members emphasised that Luxembourg's healthcare system is "strong and of good quality". To strengthen it even further, the party wants to improve prevention and organisation at the local level.
Further training and better work conditions are needed to make the healthcare sector more attractive, concluded LSAP members at the congress.
Sacha Pulli named general treasurer
Municipal councillor Sacha Pulli from Esch-sur-Alzette was named new general treasurer of the LSAP on Sunday morning.
This role was formerly filled by Mondercange councillor Christine Schweisch, who recently announced her decision to leave the LSAP due to no longer identifying with the party's values.
