Over the past few months, the DP have more than lived up to their reputation as a responsible party. Our members of parliament have taken the right decisions for the well-being of our country. Every single one has proven in their department that in times of a crisis they can be counted on.
The crisis manager
Luxembourg is well looked after under the lead of prime minister Xavier Bettel. “If the country is doing well, then the people should be doing even better” was our mission statement for the last legislative period. The DP prime minister has now shown how Luxembourg can be guided, also through stormy weathers.
There’s a number of qualities that make a good statesman: an undeterred commitment for the country and its people is surely one of them.
Xavier Bettel has demonstrated this quality in an impressive manner on Sunday 19th July 2020. After achieving in Brussels that Luxembourg would receive another 100 million Euro in the fight against the Corona virus, he came back to the Grand-Duchy to ensure that the state council would implement the required restrictions to deal with a resurgence of the pandemic.
And just a shortly after the press conference, Xavier Bettel was back on his way to Brussels to help decide on the future of the European recovery project.
Politics with heart and soul for young and old
All of us are suffering from the consequences of the pandemic. But it is especially the vulnerable people and the elderly that were impacted the most by the confinement. “My heart was bleeding whenever I came into contact with people from retirement or care homes and who were missing their families” Corinne Cahen regretted at the DP digital congress.
To the Minister for Family Affairs it was especially important to ensure that visits and the possibility to go outside would become possible again as quickly as possible: “Because our elderly, as much as everyone else, have a right to the highest possible quality of life”.
To provide children with the best possible prospects in life: this is the goal of the Minister of Education Claude Meisch. Homeschooling was an experience which in the circumstance of emergency worked well enough, however the teachers and the classroom context are irreplaceable. Claude Meisch organised the return to the schools and daycare facilities so that our children can continue to prepare themselves for the future in a safe environment – and see their schoolmates again, as well.
During the confinement, the teachers and parents have done their best to continue teaching in a homeschooling context. However, and despite all the efforts made, it is also known that there are pupils who, for one reason or another, show shortcomings. To catch these educational shortfalls, and avert the therefrom emerged inequalities, free extra tuitions and lessons were organised over the last two weeks of the summer holidays based on Claude Meisch’s initiative.
„The government won’t leave anyone out in the rain“
The responsible handling of the budget by Minister of Finance Pierre Gramegna is bearing its fruits: due to the healthy public finances, an extensive stability pact of 11 billion could be worked out to support the businesses, startups, employees, independent workers and artists.
In this context, the Minister of the Middle Classes Lex Delles has arranged for a multitude of aids and financial support measures, which can be paid out quickly and easily to the companies.
The social aspect has also not been neglected over the past months: let’s just think about the short-time work which has allowed many to remain in their jobs. The state can guarantee that until the end of the year, no employee on partial unemployment will earn less than the minimum wage.
Another clear sign for social cohesion is the doubling of the cost-of-living subsidy. Based on the initiative of the Minister for Family Affairs, Corinne Cahen, the government has decided to double this aid backdated for 2020. This should help people with lower income, even if they have an employment contract.
Innovative ways out of the crisis
For the DP, there cannot be a simple return to how things used to be. We will draw the right lessons from the crisis and use this opportunity to open a new chapter for Luxembourg. With the telework, the minister of Civil Service Marc Hansen has set the course to prepare the working environment of tomorrow. A working world, with more time for family and leisure. To find new ways, means to trust science. The Minister of Higher Education and Research, Claude Meisch, has done exactly that, by reacting promptly to the experts’ call for more Corona tests, and by elaborating the Large-Scale- Testing. Luxembourg is in an absolute pioneer position in this sector (number 1 in the world), and thanks to its massive testing capacities, can react speedily to new infections.
New start Luxembourg
To relaunch the economy after the Corona crisis, the government has a number of measures in store. The Minister for Tourism relies on local measures: “To shop locally does not only secure jobs and help small and medium-sized businesses to get back on their feet, it is also of crucial help to the environment. Our call is clear : this year it is “Holidays at home!”. The 50 Euro voucher comes in quite handy for that.
