In a rare show of unity, all parliamentary groups in Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies have backed a resolution calling for clarity on the Caritas scandal.
On the initiative of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), all parliamentary groups and political parties jointly submitted a resolution to the Chamber of Deputies.
The resolution was introduced following a debate requested by the Green Party (Déi Gréng) on the ongoing Caritas scandal. During the debate, opposition parties criticised the government's handling of the case, raising concerns about the role of the banks and the actions of the archdiocese.
Green Party MP Djuna Bernard expressed frustration over what she described as Prime Minister Luc Frieden's evasion of questions related to the case. She criticised the government's overall lack of communication and transparency.
Responding to the criticism, Prime Minister Frieden addressed accusations that his government's response showed a lack of empathy. He stated that he found it "extremely hurtful on a personal level" when members of the opposition claimed his government had a "heart of ice" or lacked understanding of social issues. "If we didn't care, we would have simply said 'too bad'," Frieden remarked.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that unanswered questions remain but emphasised that it is up to the judicial authorities and the Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF) to resolve them.
MP Marc Baum of the Left Party (Déi Lénk) argued that if a similar crisis management approach had been taken in the private sector, Frieden would have been sacked.
Christian Social People's Party (CSV) MP Marc Spautz also raised questions about the crisis management, in particular pointing to several labour law concerns arising from the winding down of Caritas' operations, while at the same time highlighting the need to examine the Catholic Church's role and communication during the affair.
LSAP MP Taina Bofferding echoed these concerns, suggesting that the archdiocese was taking the easy way out by seemingly abandoning Caritas.
Meanwhile, MP Sven Clement of the Pirate Party cautioned that the scandal could erode public trust in charitable organisations.
