Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
Encyclopedia
The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party , abbreviated to LSAP or POSL, is a social democratic
political party
in Luxembourg
.
The LSAP is the second-largest party in the Chamber of Deputies
, having won 13 of 60 seats at the 2009 election
, and has one seat in the European Parliament
. It is the junior partner in the current grand coalition
with the Christian Social People's Party
(CSV). The party's President is Alex Bodry
, a deputy
and the Mayor of Dudelange, but the leading member in the government is Jean Asselborn
, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Primarily social democratic
, but with a democratic socialist
faction, the party has a strong working class
identity. It is close to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, the country's largest trade union centre
, but they have no formal links. The LSAP is particularly strong in the south of the country, controlling most of the mayoralties in the large towns of the Red Lands
. It is affiliated to the Socialist International
and Party of European Socialists
.
as the 'Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party', in the mould of the Labour Party
in the United Kingdom
, where the government had been exiled. In the first election after the war
, in 1945, the LSAP was the big losers, falling to 26% of the vote, but remained in the National Union Government
, along with all other parties.
at each election. Timelines showing the number of seats and percentage of votes won are on the right.
is now. Below is a list of Presidents of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party since 1945.
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
The LSAP is the second-largest party in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
The Chamber of Deputies , abbreviated to the Chamber, is the unicameral national legislature of Luxembourg. 'Krautmaart' is sometimes used as a metonym for the Chamber, after the square on which the Hôtel de la Chambre is located....
, having won 13 of 60 seats at the 2009 election
Luxembourgian legislative election, 2009
Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 7 June 2009, together with the 2009 election to the European Parliament. All sixty members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected for five years...
, and has one seat in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. It is the junior partner in the current grand coalition
Grand coalition
A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political parties of opposing political ideologies unite in a coalition government...
with the Christian Social People's Party
Christian Social People's Party
The Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European...
(CSV). The party's President is Alex Bodry
Alex Bodry
Alex Bodry is a politician from Luxembourg.After attending a grammar school in Esch-sur-Alzette, Alex Bodry studied law at the University of Paris. He later became an advocate. From 1982 to 1989, he was a member of Dudelange communal council. From 1989 to 1999, he was a minister...
, a deputy
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
and the Mayor of Dudelange, but the leading member in the government is Jean Asselborn
Jean Asselborn
Jean Asselborn is a Luxembourger politician. Since 31 July 2004, he has been the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration in the government led by Jean-Claude Juncker....
, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Primarily social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, but with a democratic socialist
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
faction, the party has a strong working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
identity. It is close to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, the country's largest trade union centre
National trade union center
A national trade union center is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a single country. Nearly every country in the world has a national trade union center, and many have more than one. When there is more than one national center, it is often because of ideological differences—in some...
, but they have no formal links. The LSAP is particularly strong in the south of the country, controlling most of the mayoralties in the large towns of the Red Lands
Red Lands
The Red Lands form a geographic region in southern and south-western Luxembourg. They are called this way for their red iron-laden earth.The Red Lands roughly correspond with the southern part of the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, along the border with France...
. It is affiliated to the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
and Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
.
History
- 5 July 1902: Foundation of the Social Democratic Party.
- 1905: Left-wing elements split to create the Social Democratic Workers' Party.
- 1912: Reunification of the PSD and POSD.
- 1916: Party renamed to 'Socialist Party', part of the InternationalInternational----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
. - 2 January 1921: Communist elements split to create the Communist Party of LuxembourgCommunist Party of LuxembourgThe Communist Party of Luxembourg , abbreviated to KPL or PCL, is a communist political party in Luxembourg.Ali Ruckert is the current chairman of the party.- History :...
. - 1924: Party renamed to 'Luxembourg Workers' Party'.
- The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist InternationalLabour and Socialist InternationalThe Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
between 1923 and 1940. - 5 November 1937: Party joins government for the first time in coalition under Prime Minister Pierre Dupong.
Post-war
The party was reformed after the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as the 'Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party', in the mould of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where the government had been exiled. In the first election after the war
Luxembourgian legislative election, 1945
Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 21 October 1945. Voters elected all 51 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies....
, in 1945, the LSAP was the big losers, falling to 26% of the vote, but remained in the National Union Government
National Union Government (1945)
The National Union Government was a form of national government that governed the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg between 1945 and 13 February 1947, in the direct aftermath of the Second World War. During the war, Luxembourg was invaded, occupied, and annexed by Nazi Germany...
, along with all other parties.
- 2 May 1970: Henry CravatteHenry CravatteHenry Cravatte was a Luxembourgian politician. Cravatte was Deputy Prime Minister from 1964 until 1969, and also served as President of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party....
is ejected as President by a trades union-led coup. - March 1971: Centrist elements, led by Cravatte, split to create the Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Luxembourg)The Social Democratic Party , abbreviated to PSD, was a social democratic political party in Luxembourg between 1971 and 1984.The PSD was founded in March 1971 as a secession of the centrist tendency within the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party...
. - 1984: Reunification of the LSAP with most of the Social Democratic Party (some join the CSVChristian Social People's PartyThe Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European...
).
Election results
Below are charts of the results that the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party has secured in the Chamber of DeputiesChamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
The Chamber of Deputies , abbreviated to the Chamber, is the unicameral national legislature of Luxembourg. 'Krautmaart' is sometimes used as a metonym for the Chamber, after the square on which the Hôtel de la Chambre is located....
at each election. Timelines showing the number of seats and percentage of votes won are on the right.
| Year | Vote % | Place | Seats | Place | Cabinet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1945 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 21 October 1945. Voters elected all 51 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.... |
11 | 2nd | Yes | ||
| 1948 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1948 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 6 June 1948. Voters elected all 51 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
15 | 2nd | Yes | ||
| 1951 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1951 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 3 June 1951. Voters elected all 52 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
19 | 2nd | Yes | ||
| 1954 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1954 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 30 May 1954. Voters elected all 52 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
35.1 | 2nd | 17 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1959 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1959 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 1 February 1959. Voters elected all 52 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
34.9 | 2nd | 17 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1964 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1964 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 7 June 1964. Voters elected all 56 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
37.7 | 1st | 21 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1968 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1968 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 15 December 1968. Voters elected all 56 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
32.3 | 2nd | 18 | 2nd | No |
| 1974 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1974 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 26 May 1974. Voters elected all 59 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
29.2 | 2nd | 17 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1979 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1979 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 10 June 1979. Voters elected all 57 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
24.3 | 2nd | 14 | 3rd | No |
| 1984 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1984 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 17 June 1984. Voters elected all 64 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
33.6 | 2nd | 21 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1989 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1989 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 18 June 1989. Voters elected all 60 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.-Results:... |
26.2 | 2nd | 18 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1994 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1994 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on June 12, 1994. Voters elected 60 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.The election coincided with the 1994 European Parliament election.-Candidates:-Overall results:... |
25.4 | 2nd | 17 | 2nd | Yes |
| 1999 Luxembourgian legislative election, 1999 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on June 13, 1999. Voters elected 60 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral legislature, the Chamber of Deputies.The election coincided with the 1999 European Parliament election.-Candidates:-Overall results:... |
22.3 | 3rd | 13 | 3rd | No |
| 2004 Luxembourgian legislative election, 2004 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 13 June 2004. Voters elected all 60 members of the Grand Duchy's unicameral legislature, the Chamber of Deputies... |
23.4 | 2nd | 14 | 2nd | Yes |
| 2009 Luxembourgian legislative election, 2009 Legislative elections were held in Luxembourg on 7 June 2009, together with the 2009 election to the European Parliament. All sixty members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected for five years... |
21.6 | 2nd | 13 | 2nd | Yes |
Presidents
The formal leader of the party is the President. However, often, a government minister will be the most important member of the party, as Jean AsselbornJean Asselborn
Jean Asselborn is a Luxembourger politician. Since 31 July 2004, he has been the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration in the government led by Jean-Claude Juncker....
is now. Below is a list of Presidents of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party since 1945.
- Michel RasquinMichel RasquinMichel Rasquin was a Luxembourgian journalist and socialist politician, and European Commissioner.Rasquin was born in Pétange, Luxembourg in 1899. After the Second World War he was the president of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party from 1945 to 1951.He was a member of the Council of State,...
(1945 – 1951) - Paul WilwertzPaul WilwertzPaul Wilwertz was a Luxembourgian politician for the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party . He was Mayor of Luxembourg City for five years, as well as sitting in the Chamber of Deputies and holding positions in the government.Born in Wiltz, Wilwertz attended the Athénée de Luxembourg in Luxembourg...
(1951 – 1952) - Albert BousserAlbert BousserAlbert Bousser was a Luxembourgian politician, railway inspector, and trade unionist.Born on 8 February 1906 in Alzingen, Bousser studied in Paris at the École du génie civil, after which he became a railway inspector for Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois, in which capacity he worked until 1969...
(1952 – 1954) - Émile Ludwig (1954 – 1955)
- Paul WilwertzPaul WilwertzPaul Wilwertz was a Luxembourgian politician for the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party . He was Mayor of Luxembourg City for five years, as well as sitting in the Chamber of Deputies and holding positions in the government.Born in Wiltz, Wilwertz attended the Athénée de Luxembourg in Luxembourg...
(1955 – 1959) - Henry CravatteHenry CravatteHenry Cravatte was a Luxembourgian politician. Cravatte was Deputy Prime Minister from 1964 until 1969, and also served as President of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party....
(1959 – 1970) - Antoine WehenkelAntoine WehenkelAntoine Wehenkel was a Luxembourgian politician and engineer. He was a member of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party , of which he was President ....
(1970 – 1974) - Lydie SchmitLydie SchmitLydie Schmit was a Luxembourgian politician and teacher.Schmit joined the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party in 1970. By 1974, she had been chosen as President of the party: a position that she held until 1980. She entered public office in 1976, when she was joined the communal council of...
(1974 – 1980) - Robert Krieps (1980 – 1985)
- Ben FayotBen FayotBen Fayot is a Luxembourgian politician from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party . Fayot sat in the Chamber of Deputies for five years from 1984. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 until 1999, when he returned to the Chamber of Deputies...
(1985 – 1997) - Jean AsselbornJean AsselbornJean Asselborn is a Luxembourger politician. Since 31 July 2004, he has been the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration in the government led by Jean-Claude Juncker....
(1997 – 2004) - Alex BodryAlex BodryAlex Bodry is a politician from Luxembourg.After attending a grammar school in Esch-sur-Alzette, Alex Bodry studied law at the University of Paris. He later became an advocate. From 1982 to 1989, he was a member of Dudelange communal council. From 1989 to 1999, he was a minister...
(2004 – )