'Luxembourg has no more capacity to grow'

While it will be the party's second attempt to enter the Chamber of Deputies, they only have registered candidates in the southern and northern constituencies.

In the 2018 election, The Conservatives only ran in the south and received close to 10,000 votes (0.52%). What are their ambitions this time around? RTL's Dany Rasqué met party founder Joé Thein, a former member of the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (adr), to discuss just that.

Aiming for 2%

The overall goal of The Conservatives is to increase their vote tally, said Thein, further arguing that it will be up to voters to decide how much they deserve. Pressed on the issue of their concrete ambitions, he acknowledged aiming for 2%.

This tally would allow the party to become eligible for government financing, explained Thein: "Smaller parties are often at a disadvantage as they don't have the same means to finance their campaigns. We depend on donations from members and activities through which we can generate revenue."

Thein believes that his party has shown in recent years that they have a political foundation with competent people. He elaborated on what he deemed positive developments, citing an increase in their membership numbers to over 150 and gaining more on a daily basis.

The lead candidate argued that the majority of their voters used to be with the adr or were previously not voting at all.

Advocating for a slowdown in population growth

"The Conservatives - the Freedom Party" broadly encapsulates the party's ideological stance. "Our ideology aligns with libertarian politics, emphasising individual freedoms and safeguarding civil and constitutional rights. We prioritise national interests, both within and beyond Europe. And evidently, we also call ourselves conservative. That means we are a party based on values, which also stands up for our values as citizens," Thein stresses.

The Conservatives' priorities for the elections on 8 October, Thein promises, are quite broad.

One of them is growth. Thein is convinced that the country's growth capacity is reaching its limits.

"We advocate for a controlled population growth slowdown, if not reduction, ensuring that the nation's infrastructure, resources, capacities, and potential can be domestically invested. This strategy intends to avert repercussions such as mounting unemployment, social issues, and financial distress. We address these tangible concerns that interest the people," explains Thein.

Climate policies: 'A matter of proportionality'

While The Conservatives lack a fully formulated election programme, they have released several videos that shed light on their agenda. One of them is entitled "Climate Terror." In light of this, what are the policy proposals of Joé Thein's party regarding one of the biggest concerns of our time?

Thein responds, "we question the proportionality of certain policies. Our stance isn't against alternative energy forms or innovative concepts, but rather a call for practical assessment. While we strive to make an impact, the significance must be weighed. If it's still the case that China, India, Russia, and other big countries produce so much CO2 while we save the world with our zero point something, I just don't see the proportionality."

Leading by example, it seems, is therefore not one of the party's priorities.

But the Conservatives are convinced of their work. In one of their videos, they even emphasise that they are "the only ones who have the skills to regulate finances and steer the economy away from a collision course."