Luxembourg Liberals soon without party leader Delles

What lesson did the DP draw from its election defeat as a junior partner of the black and blue government in 2004? Do you not fear repetition?

The time at that time was different and the democratic party was also another party that was different. The party has developed enormously, especially in the past ten years.

How would you describe the development?

Social liberal. We are a social -liberal party that is important to liberal values, but which also increasingly integrates social values. I am also convinced that it is dangerous to stay only in the past, just as it is dangerous to forget the past. This is the frame in which we move. We have to take responsibility.

The DP has already positioned itself more socially in the triple coalition with the LSAP and Déi Gréng. However, one of the first advances of the CSV/DP government was the ban on the bed. Did the DP give up the social again?

Definitely not. The social is reflected in various policy areas. The child poverty is a concern that is very important to us, but also the social dialogue. The social cohesion is very important to us, but without losing sight of the fact that we are doing a lot: almost 50 percent of the state budget are social spending.

But poverty in the country continues to rise, especially child poverty.

Family Minister Max Hahn is currently consulting the poverty plan. This is a priority for us. Under Claude Meisch, the DP has increased the school offer and extended free care so that children also have better educational opportunities from difficult conditions.

In the DP there are people like Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel who are more likely to stay in conversation with populists and others who are more likely to advocate a Cordon Sanitaire. Where does the party leader stand?

I understand both approaches. But they don’t offer a definitive answer. The Cordon Sanitaire was tried in countries in which the right -wing populists are strong today. You tried to discuss in Germany. Both approaches have not brought what was expected. Personally, I am convinced that right -wing extremists have to be demask. You have to show where right -wing extremists disinform where you lie, where you try to split people. Only if you open it up again and again and point it with your finger on it can you counter them. So I am against lying on the right, except when it comes to joint decisions with such parties.

Your party has promoted the Luxembourg language like no other. Doesn’t she contribute to the increasingly nationalist undertone in the language debate?

I understand the discussion and fear. I asked myself the question. But the Luxembourg language, nationality and culture are not an exclusivity of the ADR or other populists, but belong to our society. Multiculturality is part of our identity, but Luxembourgisch is also part of us. Our strength are our openness and the exchange with others.

With top candidate Xavier Bettel, the DP has been able to inspire many boys for the party. Now beggar frequently travels abroad and you don’t hear much more from the offspring.

We are in close exchange with our youth party, the JDL. We do not create a muzzle of our youth, which can be seen in the position of the JDL president in nuclear energy, which is in contrast to the party line. We promote the youth and tie them into the debates. That is the strength of our party. We record strong influx at the regional congresses, especially of young people. In the chamber, the DP is not the oldest faction. The same applies to the government team. We need a mixture of young and old, because both bring their own opinion.

The congresses of the Democratic Party of all people work as rehearsed. That has changed little under your leadership. Why is so little debate?

We are structured differently than the CSV or the LSAP. We have no delegates. We have bodies in which we discuss to capture positions. The most recent example is the pension reform to which we have working groups that have gone to the Comité Directer and the Executive Committee. Believe me: there are also disagreements, questions about pension reform are not debated uniformly. It is important to have these points of view in the party. But we should represent a clear line on the outside.

When Amela Skenderovic asked the Palestine’s political recognition from the Haltung party, Charles Goerens, Member of the MP, jumped in. Nothing was heard from them.

You address the point with the European elections. It was important to see the candidates together in the European election campaign. It was not my role to interfere as a party president, but the line of the list of candidates was clear and also that of Mr. Goerens.

They are not only party leader, but above all Minister of Energy and Energy. Can the tasks be combined? What if the election preparations start in 2026?

There are even three ministries, classes moyennes and tourism, energy and business. It was important that we merged the three ministries because there are valuable synergies. We have very good employees in the ministries, but there is a lot of work that is true. And a new phase begins for the party.

In 2023, as a freshly baked boss, you led the DP to the municipal elections at short notice.

We had a great team. It was a lot of work to set up a campaign, the main lines and the election program in a few months. This was followed by the national elections and the European elections in 2024. Carole Hartmann as general secretary has contributed enormously. Without them, it would not have been possible in the past few months because I don’t have as much time as the party deserves it and how the members deserve it.

What successes do you look back on?

We managed to move closer together, to move in one direction. That was important to me personally as a party president. I want us to look in the face and still stand for one thing if we discuss politics controversially. We did that and I’m proud of that. But now the national congress is pending and the moment has come: I will not run again. Due to time constraints, and so that the future president has the chance to rebuild the party and, like me, have to lead them directly into the elections at the time. That was sporty.

Rumors are circulating that former Family Minister Corinne Cahen is said to have once again registered interest in the post.

Corinne Cahen didn’t tell me anything about it, she was already President of the DP.

Who would be your desired candidate for the successor?

We need a president who is committed to our values ​​that does not divided, but brings together. We have a coalition program that we implement in which the handwriting of the DP can be found. We have a clear mandate of the voters. We get along well with the CSV when it comes to the implementation of our priorities. Exactly because we move in the same direction. That is also the role of the party president.

That almost sounds like the divorce from the LSAP and Greens was overdue at the time and with the new coalition partner today is everything without tension?

It wasn’t before that we kissed our forehead from morning to evening. That is quite normal. Before that there were three parties, now we are two. I observe that there are currents in the CSV that are also available from us. But it’s about finding consensus. When I talk to people abroad, that’s exactly our strength: there is not the one party that leased the truth, but you have to search for solutions together and find compromises. Of course we discuss in the coalition. The program is not clear everywhere.

After all, they have enforced the right to adoption.

The DP has not prevailed and the CSV has not been born. The step was a common from CSV and DP. It is a text behind which both parties and the government are. Other parties also voted in the Chamber. It is good with such social issues that not a majority penetrates the opening, but that there is a broad consensus.