Thursday evening’s RTL Télé debate show “Kloertext” analysed the latest Politmonitor survey, revealing declining public support for Prime Minister Luc Frieden’s government.
The poll showed Prime Minister Frieden’s personal approval rating dropping by 10 points, while Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel maintained and even improved his position as Luxembourg’s most popular politician. Overall, fewer than half of respondents expressed satisfaction with the government’s performance.
“A poll doesn’t change power dynamics”, countered Democratic Party (DP) president Carole Hartmann during the discussion.
Governing coalition representatives downplayed the results. CSV vice-president Stéphanie Weydert attributed the numbers to emotional reactions following Frieden’s recent State of the Nation address. “Policy announcements like pension reform come from the entire government team, not just one individual”, she emphasised, urging unity among coalition partners.
Hartmann acknowledged communication failures, particularly regarding lack of advance notice to DP lawmakers about pension reform plans. “This inadequate communication partly explains the poll results,” she stated, adding that the government must address the public’s increasingly critical assessment of its work.
Green Party (Déi Gréng) MP Sam Tanson countered Hartmann’s position, arguing she had oversimplified the communication issues. While not defending the Prime Minister directly, Tanson pointed out that Deputy PM Bettel had publicly confirmed receiving advance access to the State of the Nation speech. She noted Bettel could have both informed his party and proposed amendments, particularly given his public statements about incorporating DP input. Tanson suggested the DP was being disingenuous in placing blame solely on the CSV and Prime Minister Frieden.
Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) MP Paulette Lenert, who ranked second in the popularity poll, interpreted the results as reflecting accumulated public discontent. “During crises, political leaders must work doubly hard to maintain social cohesion”, Lenert stated, criticising the government for failing to anticipate this predictable trend. She accused the coalition of pursuing policies with inadequate consultation and expressed hope the government would heed the warning, especially amid significant challenges facing Luxembourg and Europe.
MP Marc Baum of the Left Party (Déi Lénk) argued that one of the main issues is PM Frieden’s refusal to listen. Baum particularly criticised Frieden’s public comment about planning a woodland walk during what is shaping up to be Luxembourg’s “largest protest in decades.”
