Addressing concerns about recent government actions, such as the implementation of a begging ban and the handling of the Meisch affair, Lies argued against the notion that the government is off to a bad start. He emphasised that the adjustment of the tax table to the index in December and the comprehensive housing package unveiled just two weeks ago “are quite the opposite of a bad start.”
Regarding the controversy surrounding Minister of Education Claude Meisch, Lies asserted that it pertains more to personal matters rather than government affairs. Nevertheless, Lies acknowledged that receiving “bad press” as a minister is “not conducive.”
On the subject of the begging ban, the politician of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) stated that it would be “obvious” that there is “a genuine problem” and that “something had to be done” in December. As a mayor himself, he expressed understanding for the fact that the municipal executive of Luxembourg City “just wanted to get it done.” However, Lies admitted that the way in which the begging ban was implemented is “debatable.” He conceded that the legal ambiguities had been identified as far back as 2015 and should have been addressed earlier.
Marc Lies served as the CSV’s spokesperson for housing policy in the last two legislative periods. When asked why he did not become Minister for Housing, Lies explained that it was simply a matter of the portfolio being assigned to the Democratic Party (DP), to which he does not belong. He expressed uncertainty regarding why the CSV did not secure the position, stating he lacked insight into the decision-making process.
Lies dismissed the Left Party’s criticism that the rich in particular would benefit from the new housing measures, while everyone else would not. He argued that the Left Party always wants to bring the discussion back to a rent cap, although experiences “elsewhere” had shown that this is “not always the best solution.” Lies countered that the focus should be on strengthening social rental management. According to Lies, this would be the best way to tackle vacancies, with further related legislation already in the pipeline. Additionally, Lies argued for increased efforts to address the issue of unused properties and vacant homes.
Lies highlighted the need for adjustments to the Affordable Housing Law passed in July 2023, citing areas where the legislation falls short. Firstly, Lies questions the requirement for indefinite contracts, arguing that it contradicts the essence of social housing. In Lies’ view, social housing is not meant to house people “for ten or 20 years,” but only until they achieve financial independence again. Additionally, Lies criticised the exclusion of youth housing from the law and suggested amendments to various articles to better align with the objectives of affordable housing.
