© Luc Rollmann / RTL
As the legislative elections approach, the Fokus party has presented part of its election programme and revealed its lead candidates.
Under the title "Growth solves no problems - courage to change," the party presented part of its manifesto at the Fokus National Congress held at Hotel Légère in Munsbach on Saturday.
While Fokus acknowledges the importance of growth, the party's national president, Marc Ruppert, emphasised that growth alone cannot address all societal issues. The party aims to tackle challenges in education, family, health, and environmental policy using innovative approaches.
The programme features several noteworthy ideas, including advocating for the direct election of mayors by all voters in a municipality, thus eliminating post-election "haggling" for the position. Fokus also proposes a nationwide direct election of the prime minister.
Equal treatment is a central principle for the party. Fokus calls for fairness in bank loans, demanding that individuals with the same income be treated equally, regardless of whether they are civil servants or private employees. To promote property ownership, the equity capital needed to buy a property of up to €1 million should not exceed €75,000.
Regarding inheritance tax, Fokus takes a stand against it and proposes exempting the sale of inherited property from added-value taxation.
On the international stage, the party strongly advocates for Ukraine to become a member of NATO without delay.
Lead candidate Frank Engel urged voters to support a different policy by voting for Fokus. The party stands out with its 12 lead candidates, including Luc Majerus, Gary Kneip, Mandy Lietz, and Anne Lecuit for the South; Frank Engel, Marc Ruppert, Micky Maller, and Cédric Bellwald for the Centre; Jacques Linster and Sandra Bilic Klaty for the East; and Anne Winter and Jeff Steichen for the North.
During the Congress, Fokus collected signatures for a legislative initiative presented by Party member Jean-Marie Heyder. The initiative proposes that the office of mayor and the mandate of MP should no longer be compatible. Such initiatives are possible under the new constitution, requiring 125 presenters and 12,500 voters' signatures before being treated as a bill in the Chamber of Deputies.
