The CSV and DP parties in Mondercange have confirmed they will continue their coalition without a candidate who recently switched parties following the municipal elections.
Christine Schweich, who ran as lead candidate for the LSAP in Mondercange, on Monday announced her decision to switch to the DP in the aftermath of the vote. Her announcement was met with consternation from the opposition, as it presented a challenging situation for the council.
The CSV said it was vital to respect the democratic process, and that Schweich, the former mayor, clearly had a mandate for the LSAP. She could therefore not maintain that mandate for another party. The LSAP supported calls for Schweich to relinquish her mandate after leaving their party.
Amid discussions on the future of Mondercange council, CSV mayor Jeannot Fürpass was adamant that his party would not enter into a coalition with the DP if their faction included Schweich. As a result, the DP were unwilling to step down from their council positions in order to accept Schweich into their ranks.
On Wednesday evening the CSV announced they had reached terms with the DP for a coalition, as DP alderman Marc Schramer later explained that Schweich had understood their position.
She will now sit on the council as an independent candidate, although she has been confirmed as a DP party member, and her participation in any votes will not be counted as votes for the DP, meaning they will not contribute to any majority.
Schweich will also be excluded from accepting a municipal council mandate for the DP, for example in the consultative commissions or the municipal syndicates.
The LSAP co-president Dan Biancalana said any LSAP candidates going to the polls should commit themselves to returning their mandate if they later switched parties. However, he admitted the LSAP could not prevent Schweich from standing as an independent member of the municipal council.
In a statement, the CSV said “in order to respect the will of the voters, it was recorded in a written agreement that the coalition agreement dated 21 June between 6 members of the CSV and 2 members of the DP will continue to be respected. The CSV wishes to emphasise that it is important for them to continue working as it has been the case so far, in all transparency and without putting their credibility with the voters at stake.
Thus, it was stated that no candidate, who ran on a party list other than that of the coalition partners in the municipal elections, can be included within the majority for the CSV or the DP.”
CSV sets conditions for possible coalition with DP
LSAP calls for mandate return after former lead candidate switches party
