The proposed Nordstad merger between five northern Luxembourg municipalities faces a significant challenge after Bettendorf's council voted to exit the talks, though the remaining towns are pressing forward.
In March 2024, the municipal councils of Bettendorf, Diekirch, Ettelbruck, Erpeldange-sur-Sûre, and Schieren decided to continue exploring a potential merger under the name "Nordstad," meaning "Northern City." However, on Wednesday, Bettendorf's council voted to end its participation in the talks.
Only four of the 11 Bettendorf councillors voted in favour of the merger in a secret ballot election. Despite the setback, the other four municipalities remain committed to the merger.
Claude Gleis, Mayor of Erpeldange-sur-Sûre and spokesperson for the Nordstad project, expressed disappointment at Bettendorf's decision. "I find it a bit odd that the council ended up voting against further talks. It seems to bypass the voice of the people," Gleis remarked, alluding to the planned referendum in 2027.
The merger discussions on Wednesday were prompted by a resolution passed by Bettendorf's council in May 2024, which sought out Development and Attraction Centre (CDA) status for the municipality. Achieving CDA status would have entitled Bettendorf to an additional 25% per resident in state financial support.
The municipality argued that, like Diekirch, Erpeldange-sur-Sûre, and Ettelbruck, which already benefit from CDA status, Bettendorf also manages supra-regional responsibilities, such as the Agricultural School in Gilsdorf and the waste water management syndicate SIDEN in Bleesbruck.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs rejected Bettendorf's request for CDA status. According to the newspaper Luxemburger Wort, Bettendorf Mayor Patrick Mergen stated that the municipality had been excluded from merger discussions since making the additional CDA demand. In contrast, Mayor Gleis refuted this claim, saying, "We have always been willing to continue working with Bettendorf. We simply asked them to pass a new resolution dropping the CDA issue."
Despite Bettendorf's decision to withdraw from merger discussions, Claude Gleis reassured that the Nordstad project is still moving forward. He emphasised that the leadership of the remaining four municipalities–Diekirch, Ettelbruck, Erpeldange-sur-Sûre, and Schieren–continues to support the merger and believes negotiations should proceed.
Gleis explained that while Bettendorf is no longer involved, several task forces are already in place, with new ones being established to advance the project. The initial timeline, which sets a referendum for 2027, remains unchanged, according to Gleis.
It is still unclear whether the four municipalities will need to pass a new resolution to proceed. They plan to seek clarification from the Ministry of Home Affairs on the matter soon. Gleis noted the importance of moving forward "quickly and intensively" to maintain momentum.
Our colleagues from RTL Radio also reached out to Bettendorf Mayor Patrick Mergen for comment. Although an interview could not be arranged due to scheduling conflicts, Mergen confirmed that Bettendorf is currently not considering any other merger plans.
