Serge Kollwelter, a spokesperson for the 'Ronnen Dësch' initiative, has voiced concerns over the underrepresentation of cross-border workers and the working population in Luxembourg’s electoral process, further calling for enhanced ministerial accountability and a comprehensive migration policy during an interview on RTL Radio.
Serge Kollwelter, acting as a spokesperson for the 'Ronnen Dësch' ('Round Table') initiative, a collective focused on reception and integration, recently shared his insights during an appearance on RTL Radio.
Kollwelter pointed out that during the election campaign, topics such as "cross-border workers, the European Union, or pensions" received limited attention. He raised concerns about the demographic composition of voters on election day, emphasising that the majority consists of elderly citizens and civil servants, effectively excluding three-quarters of the working population.
Kollwelter regarded this as an "unhealthy situation" and suggested the need for a re-evaluation of the situation, "2015 Referendum or not."
Getting cross-border workers more involved
The Ronnen Dësch initiative has put forward 25 key references for voters to consider. Among these, the initiative underscores the importance of greater involvement of cross-border workers who contribute significantly to the nation's finances while their hometowns experience economic strain.
The initiative proposes fostering connections within the Greater Region, particularly among young people, through proposals like twinning Luxembourg secondary schools with counterparts in Germany, France, and Belgium.
Additionally, the 'Ronnen Dësch' initiative focuses on critical societal issues such as sexism, discrimination in various forms, the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the battle against poverty. In Luxembourg, approximately 20% of the population, or 100,000 people, live below the poverty line, a situation perceived by Ronnen Dësch as "unhealthy" for a nation that prides itself on wealth. Kollwelter stressed the growing income disparity between rich and poor as an alarming trend.
Equal rights for all refugees
Kollwelter highlighted the pressing need for comprehensive action on migration policy. In particular, he suggests taking inspiration from the German model, where refugees are distributed among federal states and subsequently to municipalities based on population size. This approach, he argued, offers the significant advantage of decentralisation, fostering closer community ties among residents.
Kollwelter noted that in Luxembourg, there are instances where a thousand people live in the same location, underscoring the need for more localised integration efforts. In addition, Kollwelter advocated for granting all refugees the same rights as Ukrainians, who are, for instance, permitted immediate employment upon arrival.
Ministers should be held accountable
Kollwelter stressed that in a democracy, ministers should be accountable to parliament. He stated that he is unsure if any of Luxembourg's 60 MPs know Prime Minister Xavier Bettel's positions when representing Luxembourg at international summits, such as the European Summit in Granada.
Kollwelter highlighted a difference in approach, citing countries like the Netherlands and Denmark where prime ministers routinely brief their respective parliaments before attending such summits. He underscored the need for enhanced accountability among Luxembourg's ministers, characterising the current situation as a significant deficit in the democratic process.
