The 21 MPs from the biggest opposition party got together on the scorching Tuesday to look back at a busy parliamentary season. 5 bills, 23 amendments, 58 motions and resolutions were discussed, among others. But the current government is not taking the Chamber of Deputies seriously, the CSV said. They set the wrong priorities and tend to sweep important issues under the rug.
“Blue-red-green came in with one big promise and they didn’t keep it, namely, implementing tax reform,” said Martine Hansen, co-head of the parliamentary group.
Gilles Roth, her co-head, agrees. So many lofty promises were made, and now the government was making excuses, blaming the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. He felt MPs had been taken for a ride by DP finance minister Yuriko Backes over the final days of the year.
“After the debate she painted a picture of doom and gloom. It wasn’t possible to lower the tax burden as there was no money, she said. Yesterday during the finance commission we were astonished to hear that during the first 6 months of 2022, working people had paid 450 million more taxes than during the first half of 2021.”
At least she had agreed to the CSV proposition to extend the fuel rebate by a month, says Roth. But this was an exception to the rule, generally this government was not taking parliament seriously enough, making it difficult to do their job as a controlling body.
“There is an almost slavish obedience of blue-red-green towards the government.”
As an example, he cited many investigate commissions which are being blocked by the majority parties, such as the garden shed affair around former minister Dieschbourg, the Superdreckskëscht and Valorlux contracts, or the military satellite. But they are failing in other matters, too, or setting the wrong priorities.
The current cannabis rule of 4 plants per household is not realistic and unenforceable, says co-president Claude Wiseler. A vaccination mandate could have been prepared long ago. The debate around MRIs outside hospital could have been avoided.
The security policy of police minister Henri Kox is dismissed by MP Léon Gloden as “based on green ideology”. The only positive aspects, the eviction law and bodycams, can be traced back to the CSV, he says.
The party is tired of being in the opposition. After two legislative periods out of government, they want to win elections again.
“The CSV wants to remain the strongest party and we want to be in the next government.”
Asked if they would agree to enter a coalition as a junior party, they refused to answer.
