Polls in Luxembourg: Political parties set rules before the elections
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Elections in LuxembourgPolitical parties set rules ahead of elections
LUXEMBOURG – Nine training courses started on Monday on financial, material rules and respect for municipal and legislative authorities.
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- Joseph Gaulier and Agnes Courtiol
“It’s not every day that we have managed to get nine parties to agree,” rejoiced MP Dan Biancalana (LSAP). The latter presented an agreement on Monday for the municipal (June 11) and legislative (October 8) elections, signed by the CSV, DP, LSAP, Déi Gréng, ADR, Pirates, Déi Lénk, Fokus and Volt formations. “Respect must dominate during these campaigns”, summarizes who is at the origin of the agreement.
An official campaign period of four weeks for the municipal elections and five weeks for the legislative elections has been set. The parties could put up posters, advertise in the media, on social networks or in the cinema only during this period. For each election, advertising expenditure is capped at 100,000 euros. “We would like a little less, but it’s good that the biggest parties can’t spend lavishly”, reacts Gary Diderich (déi Lénk).
Ecological component
The parties refrain from attacking political figures, insulting each other, disrupting the events of other parties, according to the document. The latter having no legal value, “everyone’s responsibility prevails”, slips Frank Engel (Fokus). “Unfortunately there are often slippages, which sometimes come from people who are not party members or from activists under a pseudonym”, regrets Christophe Hansen (CSV). It will be up to the teams to enforce the rules.
In Luxembourg politics, “the excesses are quite limited, observes Carole Hartmann (DP). If we manage to limit them by agreements, even without going through the law, it is beneficial”. Fred Keup (ADR) wanted to solve another problem: “Sometimes, ministers or mayors abuse their positions to make propaganda, for example in the brochures of the communes”. Leavers undertake to provide only the necessary information in their communication.
The agreement includes an ecological component. Each formation can only use 90 large panels (1.50 m X 2 m). Prospectuses are limited “so that citizens are not bombarded with electoral propaganda”, notes Meris Sehovic (Déi Gréng). Marc Goergen (Pirate), on the other hand, is satisfied with “the reduction of plastic”, the gadgets with the effigy of the limited parties being.