Here are five things you should know at the end of this week:
In figures – Luxembourg's youth is heading back to school next week with around 104,000 pupils being welcomed back this rentrée, including over 58,000 in primary education (pre-school and primary levels) and around 45,000 in secondary schools, of whom almost 7,000 are enrolled in international programmes. In numbers, teachers in primary education are 80% women, while the secondary gender balance is more even at 55% women among nearly 6,200 staff.
Not-so-smart-phones – Kids and teachers may be heading into classrooms with a grey cloud over their heads as the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. Prolonged social media use is considered a major factor, with young people reading "faster and more superficially" and the rate of careless reading mistakes having doubled. Education Minister Claude Meisch has reacted with talks of a stricter smartphone ban, the Alpha project, which promotes French-language literacy, and the decision to raise the school leaving age to 18.
Teacher, (don't) leave them kids alone! – However, the teachers union SEW-OGBL held a press conference of their own on Wednesday, on the one hand welcoming the new measures but calling out the yet-to-be-proven success of Alpha, with President Joëlle Damé warning that the government had decided to expand it before knowing its long-term effects. Other concerns are staff shortages and an administrative burden, with the union calling for a second adult in every cycle 1 classroom.
Cross-party initaive – A cross-party initiative led by young politicians from the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), Democratic Party (DP), Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP), and the Greens has forged a new platform dedicated to strengthening and protecting Luxembourg’s democracy, in response to growing threats to democratic institutions observed in other countries, notably the United States and the recent state election in Germany.
No immunity – Through warning signs such as budget cuts for public administrations, disregard for court rulings, and parliaments being sidelined on military decisions, the young politicians wanted to ensure that fundamental values are protected pre-emptively, realising that "Luxembourg is not an island", immune to such threats. Among the group’s top priorities are greater citizen participation, tighter regulation of online platforms and emerging technologies, as well as robust protections for a free press.
'Not a club against the ADR' – The founders describe themselves as representing the political centre, holding differing views on various issues but united by the belief that safeguarding the constitution requires cross-party cooperation. The group did not invite the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) to join, citing recent statements by its politicians that suggested the party would not endorse the new non-profit's statutes, which emphasise gender equality, protection of minorities, and closer European integration.
Pensions – Pension systems were a major topic at the meeting, with the ministers sharing experiences and reform strategies. Luxembourg’s Minister Martine Deprez highlighted the Grand Duchy's recent efforts to modernise pensions, including broad public consultations. Austria also faces upcoming changes, with officials noting the need for reforms to keep people employed longer and reduce pressure on the pension system.
Improving workplaces – Improving workplace conditions was another key agenda point. Ministers addressed not only traditional prevention topics like alcohol and tobacco, but also the increasing stress and psychosocial challenges in the workplace. The goal is to create healthier work environments, which could help people stay in employment longer. This, in turn, supports the sustainability of pension systems across the participating countries.
Age and health – The rise of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson’s, was identified as a pressing challenge. Luxembourg’s early prevention centre for dementia, which has expanded its focus, was highlighted as a model. Ministers agreed that international research cooperation is crucial, and emphasised that family care remains central in addressing these diseases, as institutions alone cannot meet the growing need for support.
Historic win – "We have made history today," declared a jubilant Ulrich Siegmund, the Alternative for Germany's (AfD) 35-year-old lead candidate in the ex-communist eastern state, as counting continued. According to projections by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, the anti-immigration party won 44%, far ahead of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), whose state premier Sven Schulze called the outcome "a severe blow".
Political pariah – All major parties maintain a "firewall" of non-cooperation with the AfD, whose state branch is classified as "right-wing extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, though the CDU would lack a majority even in coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Greens, and Die Linke. The AfD, meanwhile, may look to the small pro-Russian Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) party.
Radical agenda – A first-ever AfD state government would be a shock for a country that has long sought to atone for its Nazi past and keep extremist parties at bay. Some highlights from the AfD's agenda include a "remigration and deportation offensive" targeting irregular migrants from day one, alongside an "anti-woke" plan that includes replacing LGBTQ pride flags at public schools with the German standard and reducing the emphasis on the Third Reich in schools.
Luxembourg politicians also reacted to the win, with Prime Minister Luc Frieden stating that extremists tends to serve up easy answers that ultimately fail to move a country forward and any extremist win is something to lament.
Turning a blind eye – British PM Andy Burnham said Britain would ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law and which have rapidly expanded under Benjamin Netanyahu's rule despite extremist settlers' near-daily attacks against Palestinians. France and Canada joined the sanctions. Israel responded swiftly with countermeasures including ordering the closure of Britain's consulate in Jerusalem.
Unintended consequences? – The sanctions may have the unintended effect of emboldening the Israeli right ahead of elections with patriotic fervour still strong following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. It is to be noted, however, that Netanyahu has not just been on the receiving end of international scrutiny. Domestically, on Tuesday, Israeli opposition leaders called Netanyahu unfit for office after a report said the UAE had warned him of a major Hamas operation shortly before the October 7 attack.
'Ethnic cleansing' – Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the violence by Israeli "settler terrorists" in the West Bank as ethnic cleansing. As far as the sanctions are concerned and their timing, Britain argued that action was imperative as Israel was quickly removing any feasibility of an independent Palestinian state, especially with the green light for the E1 project that would split the northern and southern West Bank.
Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, warned Monday that large-scale rubble removal in parts of Gaza under Israeli control risked erasing traces of "atrocity crimes", and preventing the recovery and identification of human remains.
Your Weekly Recap is published every Friday at noon.
Read earlier versions here.
