© Ernster éditions/Berg&Feierabend
A new biography traces the long and influential career of former Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, retracing his life's journey during a 1,000km cycling tour across France.
The former Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and long-serving Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean Asselborn, will be the subject of a new biography set for release on 15 September.
Titled Jean Asselborn – Die Tour seines Lebens (The Tour of His Life), the book is presented by publisher Ernster éditions/Berg & Feierabend as both a "gripping travelogue" and a "document of contemporary history".
Now retired since late 2023, Asselborn – a seasoned cyclist and one of Luxembourg’s most popular politicians in recent decades – allowed Luxemburger Wort journalist Michael Merten to join him on a 1,000km cycling journey across France, including an ascent of the legendary Mont Ventoux.
The ride served as the backdrop for retracing Asselborn's trajectory from his roots as a worker's son to his influential role shaping European politics over nearly two decades.
The biography promises a sensitive portrait of the former minister, who was widely regarded as a steadfast defender of human rights, European solidarity, and the role of small states. Merten describes him as "a moral compass in an era of growing division and populist currents".
The 320-page book, priced at €24.99, will include personal reflections, accounts from close companions, and insight into both the public and private life of the iconic former mayor of Steinfort (1982-2004).
An official launch event will be held on Tuesday, 7 October, at the Pierre Werner Institute. Registration details are available on the institute's website.
