The elections might be over, but hundreds of posters can still be seen all over the country, which begs the question: how much longer are they allowed to stay up?
Parties are required to remove their signs after the elections, but some parties take this more seriously than others. Ralph Di Marco of the Bridges and Roads Authority explains: “Parties wishing to install election signs must apply to us and to the Ministry for a permit. This specifies when the signs can be put up, in this case, it wasn’t until 2 September 2023. It also states when they must be removed, which is 18 October 2023.”
Theoretically, therefore, they should all be removed today.
An election campaign might be a major investment, but parts of the endeavour are reimbursed later on. Electoral law determines the exact amount given back to parties, with compensation paid out by the Chamber following the receipt of invoices and proof of payments.
The more MPs a party obtains, the higher their reimbursement.
Financially speaking, the Greens suffered the biggest blow in these recent elections. In 2018, the party received €220,000 in reimbursements for campaign expenses, while this year it will receive a maximum of €90,000.
The Bridges and Roads Authority will wait until the week’s end before issuing reminders and then penalties, according to Di Marco: “We’re being relatively lenient and we’ll wait until the end of the week. Then we’ll send a reminder and if the signs are still not removed, we’ll do it ourselves and charge the parties.”
While national election posters and billboards will disappear from the landscape very soon, Luxembourg’s posts and open spaces won’t be empty for long: European elections are slated for 9 June 2024, which means that in just over six months, the country will once again be festooned with various campaign posters and promises.
