The Democratic Party (DP) will be responsible for determining her successor in the ministry. What does the process involve, and what is required of newly-elected officials?
The regulations surrounding the departure of a minister involve considerations of their remuneration. Ministerial salaries vary depending on the role, with the prime minister receiving a higher salary than the minister for foreign affairs, and the latter receiving more than other ministers.
Additional allowances, such as representation and travel expenses, also contribute to their overall compensation.
When a minister resigns before completing their mandate, they receive their full basic payment for three months, which is then gradually reduced over a two-year period. On average, this amounts to a net basic payment of around €12,000.
Former ministers may combine this payment with other roles, such as serving as a member of parliament or, in Corinne Cahen’s case, as a member of a municipal executive.
Within municipal politics, the position of alderman (Schäffen) is one of the three key functions. The hierarchy consists of the mayor, the municipal executive board (Schäfferot), and the municipal council, roughly equivalent to the prime minister, ministers, and the Chamber of Deputies, respectively.
It should be noted that the position of Schäffen is often translated as “alderman” into English, even though the position is not comparable to that of alderman in the UK. The aldermen in Luxembourg fulfil executive functions alongside the mayor.
Just like in parliament, the municipal council is tasked with overseeing the executive, i.e., the government or the municipal executive board, respectively. However, practical limitations often impact the extent to which this oversight is exercised due to political majorities and other factors.
If the municipal council unanimously decides to build a sports hall, for example, then the councillors have done their job. After that point, they are no longer involved in decisions regarding what exactly the hall will look like in the end.
Certain functions are incompatible with active municipal politics, including government positions but not membership in parliament.
Other roles, such as those involving active military careers, certain individuals from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and clerics, are also deemed incompatible.
In addition, individuals with up to second-degree relationships are prohibited from sitting on the same municipal council.
Aldermen and mayors receive compensation, although the amount varies depending on the municipality and the number of aldermen and councillors.
For example, municipalities with less than 1,000 inhabitants have seven members, while Luxembourg City has 27 members.
Expense reimbursements range from approximately €500s per month in small municipalities to around €6,000 in Luxembourg City.
In Dudelange, an alderman receives a monthly payment of approximately 2,500 euros, which is roughly equivalent to the non-qualified minimum wage.
Discussions surrounding the separation of political mandates, including full-time mayors, are currently ongoing and are expected to shape the political landscape for years to come.
Those engaged in municipal politics often devote a significant amount of time to their responsibilities.
Political leave helps compensate for this commitment and is determined by the size of the municipality. For example, an alderman in Dudelange is entitled to 20 hours of political leave per week.
Self-employed individuals and those without significant professional activity are also eligible for political leave, which is limited to twice the minimum wage.
If an elected official works for an employer, they must be released from their contract. The employer may then receive a sum for political leave up to a maximum limit.
A municipality’s powers are strictly regulated and split between State competences and the municipal council.
For municipalities, their main mission is management of the territory. This covers municipal regulations, water and waste management, vital records such as registering births and deaths, childcare, social welfare, as well as sports and managing staff.
On topics such as roads, a municipality’s authority may be split with the Roads and Bridges administration (Ponts et Chaussées), for example, ruling on garage entrance widths.
Generally, in Luxembourg, everyday life is governed by local politics more than by national politics.
This is particularly evident for those seeking to build their own home, which is when municipal regulations come into play. Depth of the foundations, distance from neighbouring properties, even hedge heights - all these aspects are governed by local authorities.
