The relevant bills were all green-lit by MPs following the second constitutional vote on Thursday, after Wednesday’s vote proved equally successful.
The final chapters of the constitutional reform, covering the Chamber of Deputies and the government council, were put to the vote at the Krautmaart. The bills for parliament cover, among others, motions of confidence in the government, changes in the right of inquiry for the chamber and the legislative initiative for citizens.
The sections covering the “Organisation of the State” and “Rights and Freedoms” received 52 votes in favour, 3 against, and one abstention, thus achieving the required two-thirds majority.
The government praised the revisions, saying the reforms would finally pull Luxembourg into the 21st century. Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Minister of Justice Sam Tanson added that the next parliament could go even further in terms of modernisation.
“Finally we have reached a conclusion. The constitution will be adapted from the days of horse-drawn carriages. However, this doesn’t mean our work is finished. I am certain that the next Chamber will want to modernise certain points,” Bettel concluded.
Mars di Bartolomeo, the LSAP MP and president of the relevant Chamber commission, said the details for the reforms would be worked on over the coming months. “These revisions will come into force six months after publication,” he said. “The lengthy work over the past few years has paid off, as all the most crucial points from the past two decades have been integrated into the bills. But there is still much to do in terms of implementing these provisions, even though numerous texts have already been filed.”
The ADR’s MPs were quick to criticise the planned reforms, with Fernand Kartheiser saying a number of rights had not been included in the revisions. Family and children should be redefined, Kartheiser said.
“They say we are innovating. “Progressive” is a step backwards for human dignity. If every person has the right to start a family, what does family even mean now? We are of the opinion, that this opens the door for a step back in civilisation, allowing people the right to have a child.”
In addition to the constitutional bill, the Chamber also unanimously passed a bill to modernise the state control system for municipal management.
Thursday thus brought the contentious discussions to an end without further controversy. Many MPs chose to look back, say thank you, and take deep breaths, as these discussions finally came to their conclusion.
