One of the central concerns highlighted by Emile was the growing pressure on municipalities to adapt to digital threats, especially in light of recent cyberattacks and internal controversies within municipal IT structures.
Referring to the case of the Intercommunal Syndicate for IT Management (SIGI), which has been under scrutiny for several years, Eicher noted that the situation remained far from resolved.
He expressed understanding for the Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to refuse permission for SIGI’s current director to maintain his private IT company, stating that holding a side business in the same sector while leading a major public IT organisation posed clear risks of conflict of interest.
Beyond ethical concerns, Eicher also cited time constraints, emphasising that such a demanding role leaves little room for managing a company on the side.
He stressed that the real issue, however, lies in Luxembourg’s vulnerability to cyberattacks and the municipalities’ lack of preparedness. According to Eicher, local governments are not equipped to deal with sophisticated digital threats and urgently need stronger systems, tools, and training. SIGI, he said, has a critical role to play in this transformation, particularly as nearly all of Luxembourg’s 100 municipalities depend on it.
He noted that the coming years would require entirely new digital programmes, as many older systems are no longer supported.
On the broader topic of municipal governance, Eicher called for deep reform, not only of the intercommunal syndicates like SIGI and the intercommunal transport network TICE, but also of how municipalities are managed internally. He explained that many local councils still lack specialised personnel in areas such as human resources or financial management.
This gap is particularly evident in medium-sized municipalities, which often operate without dedicated HR managers or modern financial officers. He suggested that Luxembourg’s municipalities are still structured around outdated models and require significant modernisation to meet the demands of today’s administrative landscape.
The conversation also turned to the recent tensions and controversies in several municipalities, including those in Contern, Sandweiler and Dippach. While Eicher acknowledged that conflicts between people are inevitable, he stressed that clear procedures must be in place to prevent them from escalating.
He revealed that Syvicol, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Institute for Public Administration (INAP), is now developing dedicated training modules aimed at elected officials to address conflict prevention and management, which were until now only available to civil servants.
Although Syvicol does not intervene directly in municipal disputes unless asked, Eicher said the organisation is willing to mediate when called upon. More importantly, he added, the focus should be on proactive training, that is, helping elected officials understand their rights and responsibilities, and giving them the tools to avoid problems before they arise.
Eicher also touched on the rising number of resignations among mayors, many of whom cite time pressure and growing workloads.
He observed that in smaller municipalities, leaders often have to take on responsibilities themselves due to a lack of specialised staff, unlike in larger communes where more resources are available.
He pointed to the example of Clervaux, his own municipality, which benefited from greater administrative capacity after merging.
This led into the topic of double mandates, where individuals hold both national and local elected roles. Eicher remarked that the responsibilities of each role have become so intense that officials are increasingly forced to choose where to focus their efforts. Maintaining both is becoming unrealistic, he suggested, not only for the sake of work-life balance but also to ensure quality leadership.
On the subject of municipal mergers, Eicher defended them as a way to improve services and respond to growing infrastructure needs. While acknowledging that it was easier to serve as mayor in a smaller commune like Munshausen, he argued that merged municipalities such as Clervaux are now able to offer better and more specialised services.
Still, he insisted that mergers must be approached transparently and respectfully, emphasising that they are not just administrative exercises, but social processes that affect local communities. Citizens must be informed and involved in the decision-making process, he concluded.
