The Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) is advocating for the creation of new channels for legal migration and regularisation, but Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden maintains that such measures are unnecessary.
The LSAP argues that Luxembourg needs a hardship cases commission to regularise asylum seekers, a topic raised at the request of the opposition party during a discussion in the Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday. However, Minister Gloden shares the view of his LSAP predecessor, Jean Asselborn, who also oversaw immigration in previous governments, believing no additional mechanisms are required.
Gloden highlighted the existing cooperation between his ministry and the NGO forum, which includes organisations such as the Liaison Committee of Foreigners’ Associations (CLAE), Help on the Ground (HUT), and the Association for the Support of Immigrant Workers (ASTI).
These groups forward cases to the ministry, which then reviews them during three to four annual meetings with Gloden’s staff. Based on these assessments, the minister makes final decisions on whether individuals should be regularised. According to Gloden, around 100 people were regularised in 2024, and he emphasised the importance of maintaining flexibility within the current framework.
LSAP MP Liz Braz disagrees, arguing for greater transparency and clarity in the process. She believes individuals should have clear guidelines and the ability to understand their chances of regularisation at any time. “I don’t think the minister should play judge over the fate of these people,” Braz stated.
The MP also stressed the need for new regularisation opportunities, pointing out that some individuals wait years for their cases to be resolved. During this time, they may establish roots in Luxembourg by having children who attend local schools or securing employment. Despite these ties, they often face rejection after prolonged waits. Braz further noted the country’s growing labour market demand, suggesting that Luxembourg will require more workers in the coming decades. This dependency, she argued, provides a rationale for allowing individuals without refugee status to remain in the country if they can contribute through work.
However, Gloden dismissed these arguments as well. He concluded that no additional measures are needed and reiterated his commitment to acting strictly within the existing legal framework.
