Opposition slams budget proposal over alleged lack of concrete measures

As anticipated,  opposition parties in the Chamber of Deputies expressed strong criticism regarding the budget announcements made by Christian Social People's Party (CSV) Finance Minister Gilles Roth.

The Greens (Déi Gréng) MP Sam Tanson highlighted a sense of superficiality in the announcements, stating: "I felt as though I were in an advertising agency, listening to someone trying to sell catchy slogans without offering any substantive new projects. While Mr Roth presents his ideas exceptionally well, we heard numerous familiar phrases but no genuine new initiatives."

The Greens further lamented the lack of increased expenditures on climate and environmental issues.

The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), while welcoming the principle of a tax-free unqualified minimum wage, criticised the absence of concrete healthcare measures. Taina Bofferding, leader of the LSAP parliamentary group, noted: "[Minister Roth] used a lot of words to frame this budget. At the very beginning, he said there would be almost no negative scissor effect anymore, meaning revenues and expenditures would be more aligned.

"He announced many things that will increase the budget. While he announced several interesting measures that are certainly commendable, he has not adequately clarified how he intends to generate the necessary revenue to support these initiatives, aside from stating that tobacco prices will increase."

The Left (Déi Lénk) described the budget as a whirlwind of banalities and false solutions. MP David Wagner criticised the tax-free minimum wage for giving people false hopes: "The tax exemption for the minimum wage is paid for by us. Employers will be the ones to be relieved in reality. And minimum wage workers, due to the tax exemption, will not necessarily be better off. This is essentially a patchwork solution."

Pirate MP Sven Clement pointed out that the graphs used to illustrate the budget were designed to prop up the figures. He remarked: "It is important to recognise that budget announcements frequently project expenditures over a four-year period. Historically, when the government commits to spending figures like €6 or €4 billion, these amounts are often not fully used, and thus a hidden burden is being built up over the next few years."

Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) MP Fred Keup also expressed frustrations: "The government appears overwhelmed and continues to depend exclusively on growth. This suggests we have a leadership that struggles to address the pressing challenges our country faces and is incapable of effectively managing it, all while relying on unsustainable mass growth."

In contrast, the majority parties had a more positive outlook. CSV parliamentary leader Marc Spautz praised the significant spending ambitions in the area of social policy, while Democratic Party (DP) parliamentary leader Gilles Baum echoed similar sentiments, pointing to the energy premium and the tax-free minimum wage as positive aspects of the budget.

Video report in Luxembourgish