Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (DP) promised to stay in Luxembourg if he is re-elected and emphasised the importance of maintaining an attractiveness to foreign employees.
The Government’s coalition partners reacted to the PM’s comments, with Paulette Lenert (LSAP) calling for tax reform.
Fernand Kartheiser MP with the ADR defended his party as “not right-wing extremist”.
Protect the Financial Centre: “A liberal PM is not Green”, said Meris Sehovic (dei Greng), in response to Bettel’s comments who said that a transition to green finance must be done at a pace that doesn’t make investors turn their backs on Luxembourg’s financial centre.
The LSAP would stand behind Paulette Lenert if she decided to run as the party’s lead candidate in 2023 according to party-president Francine Closener.
Which MPs had the highest attendance rate in the past three years? A majority of MPs attended more than 90% of Chamber sessions.
2 Elections in 1 Year:Why and what is different this time around?
The Minister for Energy presented new and adapted measures to help households
Multiple subsidies were announced for electricity and gas prices, including electricity prices at electric car charging stations.
New rules and norms for the construction sector were also announced, with subsidies for renovations that improve energy efficiency reinforced.
Gas consumption down by 18% in December: The industrial sector did particularly well, cutting 45% of consumption compared to the last 5 Decembers. Industry consumption usually makes up one third of the country’s gas usage.
Violence and bullying were not being taken seriously at school, according to Representatives of the National Student’s Conference.
European and International Schools lead to “ghettoisation”, claimed the President of the National Representation of Parents.
The controversial remarks, led the government to respond and say: the schools remain important alternatives for children.
6 Requests a day: schools receive an average of six daily requests for assistance from pupils. Violence and bullying are the third leading cause for these meetings.
What is the National Representation of Parents? Set up three years ago amid the pandemic, its role is to “to strengthen the culture of cooperation between the school and the parents” the group has now been included in discussions surrounding education in Luxembourg.
Rejected last week: a draft law on mandatory schooling until the age of 18 was rejected due to vagueness and inconsistencies
The EU agreed on measures in response to a surge of Covid infections in China.
The WHO criticised China’s “very narrow” definition of Covid deaths, warning that official statistics were not showing the true impact of the outbreak.
Up to 70% of the population of Shanghai in China could have been infected with Covid during China’s huge surge in cases.
Restrictions lifted too quickly? The steep rise in infections has come after years of hardline restrictions were abruptly loosened last month following widespread protests that saw citizens questioning the Chinese Communist Party.
Statistics not reflecting reality: China has only recorded 22 Covid deaths since December. It also narrowed the criteria for classifying such fatalities. Beijing’s own statistics are now widely seen as not reflecting reality.
A summit between the European Union and Ukraine will take place in Kyiv in a month, on February 3.
A new 18 billion euro financial assistance programme to Ukraine was discussed beforehand.
As a reminder, Ukraine was granted the status of a European Union candidate in June 2022.
Who’s attending? The President of Ukraine, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
Is it safe? The security situation in Kyiv has deteriorated since Russia started its attacks on electrical infrastructure.
A new facility for refugees has been inaugurated in Kirchberg, next to the Hospital. Minister Jean Asselborn presented details about the growing influx of refugees and ways to manage the demand.
France set to become the first Western country to deliver tanks to Ukraine aftertalks between Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky
Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to observe a ceasefire in Ukraine over Orthodox Christmas from January 6 to 7.
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Christos Floros covers News and Politics for RTL Today @christosfloros
