On October 11, the mayor of Bertrange, Monique Smit-Thijs, took a lot of time to talk to members from DP International about some current issues during a conference. The importance of citizen participation, both Luxembourgish and non-Luxembourgish, was a central theme of these conversations.
The political participation of non-Luxembourg residents
The main topic of our meeting was the mayor’s personal experience as a non-Luxembourger in local politics, as she did not have Luxembourg citizenship until recently. Her exemplary integration into the life and politics of her commune shows that a successful political career in Luxembourg is also possible for our foreign fellow citizens.
In this context, the importance and great potential of the new electoral law, which makes it even easier for our non-Luxembourgish fellow citizens to participate in communal elections, was also discussed.
As a result of this amendment, the five-year residence clause was abolished and the deadline for registration on electoral lists was extended.
About the Mayor
- Monique Smit-Thijs was born in the Netherlands, came to Luxembourg in 1984 and has lived in Bertrange since 1986
- In 2005, she ran for the first time on the DP list of her commune
- Four years later, she became a member of the municipal council, has been directly elected to the council since 2011 and became alderwoman in 2017
- In March 2022 Monique has taken over the office of the mayor
