The Parliamentary Petitions Committee voted to increase the signature requirement for public petitions to 5,500, up from the previous 4,500. The move, supported by the CSV-DP majority, seeks to refine the process of petition-based discussions in the Chamber of Deputies.
The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), led by Petitions Committee president Francine Closener, abstained from the vote. The LSAP had proposed setting the quorum at 0.6% of the total number of residents and cross-border workers. Speaking to our colleagues from RTL.lu, Closener emphasised the need for a sustainable approach, highlighting that the current pace of 28 public debates in two years is unsustainable. The LSAP aims to safeguard the integrity of public debate, hence the proposal for a new threshold.
The new rules, subject to a vote at the next committee meeting, include measures to deter frivolous submissions. Petitioners failing to attend a scheduled debate without valid reasons will be barred from submitting new petitions for two years. Additionally, ministers will be required to propose a debate date within four months of petition approval.
While the majority coalition supports the change, opposition parties expressed reservations, preferring to retain the existing 4,500-signature requirement.
