David Wagner, MP for Déi Lénk (the Left), discussed his expectations for 2024 in an interview with RTL on Wednesday.
Wagner told RTL he does not believe that Luxembourg's housing market will improve under the new CSV-DP coalition. Although fiscal advantages could restore some momentum to the construction sector, Wagner says these will effectively act as tax gifts for big property developers, who would see their margins increase as a result. The measures will not contribute towards reducing house prices, instead simply taking money from the government.
The left-wing politician also hit out at the government's neutral stance on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Wagner said Israel was no longer defending itself, but instead had pivoted to what he described as a massacre in the Gaza Strip, with between 20,000 and 30,000 Palestinian deaths over the past few months.
The MP criticised new Prime Minister Luc Frieden for failing to condemn Israel's actions, after South Africa filed an official case with the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of carrying out a genocide against the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.
Wagner added that the Luxembourg government should be more committed to calling for a ceasefire.
Finally, Wagner levelled further criticism at the Frieden government's approach to climate change. He said it was not clear what kind of climate policy the CSV-DP coalition stands for, and that simply relying on new technology would be insufficient in the Left's view. Luxembourg must change its production and consumption systems in future, he explained.
Interview in Luxembourgish:
