The congress organised by the Ecological Movement of Luxembourg in the Oekocenter in Pfaffenthal was attended by 120 people. The audience was able to listen to president Blanche Weber’s fiery speech and to Minister of Economy and Energy Lex Delles’ views on government priorities.
The high number of attendees was met with a critical speech from association president Blanche Weber, who addressed the work of the current government coalition against the backdrop of the ecological and social priorities of the association. Before delving into her speech, Weber asked the audience various questions, including their stance on the government’s sustainable development strategy.
As rather negative replies were heard from the public, Weber interpreted this tendency as a confirmation of her analysis of the current government strategy, emphasising that many denizens have different expectations from the government coalition of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) and Democratic Party (DP). Weber therefore demanded a more ecological and just society, underscoring the need of the government to take responsibility for these priorities.
In her speech, she pointed to those who suffer most from climate change, indirectly quoting PM Luc Frieden on the need for a functional economy to finance social policy, offering her counter-argument that without good environmental and social policies there can be no functional economy. In this regard, the Ecological Movement demands a global tax on the super-rich and a strategy for more green spaces in localities.
Weber also highlighted that amid these critical times of instability in the US and ongoing wars all around the world, the biodiversity and climate crises should not be forgotten. She thus calls for the government to place equal attention to these issues.
Their neglect would put in danger humanity’s survival and the positive visions of the future held by the Ecological Movement, she stated. Furthermore, Weber shared her view that policies targetting climate change and favouring biodiversity protection are excellent peacekeeping measures, alongside education and democracy.
Criticism was also voiced at Luxembourg’s decision-making at the EU-level, pointing particularly to PM Luc Frieden’s openness to support nuclear energy research. According to Weber, this breaks with a decades-long consensus in Luxembourg against nuclear energy.
Environment Minister Serge Wilmes and Agriculture Minister Martine Hansen were also in the line of fire for supporting policies at the EU-level that go against the priorities of the Ecological Movement. Another point of contention highlighted by Weber was Luxembourg’s support for so-called Omnibus packages that seek to foster a favourable business environment through simplification measures, which she deems as “socially backwards” and a clear sign of Luxembourg’s support for “neoliberal” policies.
Importantly, Economy and Energy Minister Lex Delles was invited to the Ecological Movement congress to present the political priorities of the CSV-DP government, particularly with regard to the energy domain, and to have an exchange about the subject with attendees.
Delles took a considerable amount of questions and remarks from the audience. Many voiced concerns about the increase in energy prices, asking whether it makes sense to invest in electric vehicles or in heat pumps, to which Delles replied affirmatively. He took the opportunity to explain the three government aims in this regard, namely the further development of renewable energy, guaranteeing energy supplies, and keeping energy prices under control.
Delles highlighted that while electricity has become more expensive in recent months, the price has not increased since 2021 due to the price cap implemented that year.
Regarding renewable energy, Delles mentioned with pride that 8,000 solar panels had been installed last year in Luxembourg, representing around 200 units per week. He emphasised that this trend will help Luxembourg become less dependent on energy imports and called for the further development of renewable energy.
