In response to rumours regarding the residency status of the three candidates, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that there is no substantiated proof to suggest that they do not live in Vianden. Speculations had arisen claiming that these candidates might be residing in Germany.
François Weyrich and Paul Petry plan to share the position of mayor. Weyrich, elected second, will serve as mayor for the initial three years, while Petry, elected first, will assume the role for the latter half of the legislative term due to his ongoing commitments to his business.
This development eliminates the possibility of holding new elections in Vianden, which would have been necessary if more than one member of the municipal council had to step down after the swearing-in ceremony.
In municipalities that vote according to the first-past-the-post system, no more than one seat can remain vacant. If resignations had occurred prior to the swearing-in, the next candidates in line would have taken their place.
However, with the confirmation that this will not be the case, the municipal council can proceed with its duties following the swearing-in ceremony.
In this year’s elections, a total of 18 candidates competed for the nine positions on the municipal council in Vianden. Among them were a team of seven people supporting incumbent mayor Claude Tonino, and a team of nine candidates backing François Weyrich and Paul Petry.
The election campaign witnessed some intense moments, including contentious leaflets and statements on social media platforms, leading to moments of unease.
As far as the election results are concerned, only one member of the current mayor’s team, Jean-Marie ‘Jengel’ Klasen, was elected to the municipal council.
*The fact that the Ministry of Home Affairs investigated the three candidates in the first place is due to the fact that Claude Tonino initiated an investigation. The current mayor believed it was his responsibility to address doubts surrounding the residency of the concerned individuals in Vianden. However, the investigation failed to substantiate these suspicions.
