INTERVIEW: Henri Kox, Minister for Housing and Minister of Internal Security

Please share with our readers your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the Luxembourg Police.

A key strength is certainly the positive image of our Police and its powerful brand; this has enabled us to successfully lead a massive much needed recruitment campaign. Reinforcing its ranks is an absolute priority and we’ve been able to attract more than 600 new candidates to join the Police over the last 3 years. The motivation of this new generation, its dedication to serve the community and play a part in upholding the country’s internal security are very strong assets. This being said, a number of new challenges have arisen at national, international and European level. However, the Police cannot act alone and shared responsibility has to be strengthened and recognised at the local and governmental level. Many issues in our society are social problems, which are not in the remit of the Police as such. Another challenge for the Police is criminal activity online. The recent bodycam law that was passed is meant to better equip our police forces to face these incidents and protect them in difficult situations, but also to insure that the police missions are conducted properly.

Cyber criminality and financial crime are definitely threats, which need to be addressed. That is why we are working on a more digitalised Police, equipping them with the necessary tools and capabilities. Furthermore, more infrastructure is needed to support the growing Police force, but also to provide more space (storage) for material and equipment.

In that respect, our newly opened Police school is an opportunity where the Police force can be properly trained to face the new and upcoming challenges.

What are the three to five top priority initiatives you are working on to make the Police more performant as an institution in service to the State and the Citizens?

We have three top priorities: recruitment; to invest, modernise, reform; and shared responsibility.

First, as explained earlier, our extraordinary recruitment plan aims to address the shortage of the Police’s staff.

We invest, modernise, reform with the aim of renovating or building police infrastructures (police stations, police school, etc.), acquiring modern equipment (bodycams, digitalization, etc.), and adapting the legal framework to the realities on the ground (video surveillance “Visupol”, the “garantie d’accès” law ensuring that all entrances to public spaces remain accessible, etc.).

In terms of shared responsibility, we encourage the authorities at the different levels to take initiatives. At the local level, we work with the municipal authorities and social services to develop local security plans, for example. At the national level, we work with other ministries on various projects such as the Package of measures on the problem of drug-related crime in Luxembourg. At the international level, we cooperate with international authorities and other countries, for example with Europol, or we participate in different councils such as the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union.

Please explain the qualifications necessary to be considered to join the Luxembourg Police.

There are two types of careers within the Police, the civilian agents and the police officers, for which different qualifications are required.

For the civilian agents, EU citizenship is obligatory and recruitment is at all levels as well as in all areas. The specific qualifications are listed in the corresponding job descriptions published on Govjobs.lu. Further information can be found under the following link: https://police.public.lu/en/recrutement/cadre-civil.html

For the police officers, Luxembourg citizenship is mandatory, as well as a general aptitude test (state service) for the corresponding career, which is conducted by the State Centre for Human Resources and Organisation Management (CGPO). The general aptitude test is followed by a special test organised by the Police, which includes an eliminatory sports test, tests in French and German in computerized form, as well as a general knowledge test in German and French, an eliminatory psychological test, and an interview in Luxembourgish. Further information can be found here: https://police.public.lu/en/recrutement/cadre-policier.html

How many new police are hired each year and what are the details of their initial qualification training?

We launched a massive recruitment plan in 2020. The original plan was to recruit 200 police officers per year for a period of three years, but it has been extended to four years. However, we will need more officers, which is why we are already planning to extend the extraordinary recruitment to 5 or 6 years.

The first wave of police officers completed their training in April 2023. The second wave started their second year in May 2023, while the third wave started their first year in May 2023. For the fourth wave, potential candidates can register for the general aptitude test in October 2023, and those who pass the additional police test will start their first year in May 2024. The training takes 2 years. In the first year, the candidates will attend the Police School. In the second year, the candidates will be transferred to different police units [police station and criminal investigation department (SPJ)].

There is much public conversation about drug trafficking particularly in the region of the Gare, public vagrancy and public begging. Please explain to our readers the role of the police in dealing with these issues and what changes need to be undertaken to make improvements in dealing with these challenges

Like any other capital city and main train station area, there are challenges when it comes to drug trafficking and criminal activities. This is not a new phenomenon for Luxembourg or any other European capital, but it has been more in the focus of the public eye recently.

As Ministry of Internal Security, we launched a set of actions and measures with four other ministries, who are also concerned by internal security and drug related issues (justice, foreign affairs – immigration, health, education). This string of measures is being implemented and developed ever since its adoption by the Government in October 2021.

Public begging by individuals is not punishable according to Luxembourgish law as long as they are not part of a criminal organisation. To the contrary, everyone has a right to ask for help, as long as they are not causing disruptions of public order. The public debate around beggars is a social issue and not a police matter, which has been underlined by the civil society, various politicians and the media.

Police can only act within the limits of the law, so the police respond to public calls when a crime has occurred or the law has been broken or is about to be broken, but it is not – and it should never be – their responsibility to take care of homeless people or resolve social issues in general. The local authorities have an important role to play here.

Sir, we welcome and very much would appreciate your answers to any questions we have not raised here which you think are important to address.

The Ministry of Internal Security works for the Police and provides them with the necessary resources to perform their missions in the best possible way. Our aim is a stronger and more modern Police that is closer to the public. In addition, we are working on future priorities, as well as a strategy for national security, in the long term.

– HOUSING –

Please share with our readers your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the current real estate situation in Luxembourg.

The year 2022 will probably mark a tipping point in many respects, with the war in Ukraine, soaring energy prices, inflation leading to steadily rising interest rates, and a slowdown in the economy. All this is taking place against a backdrop of climate change and biodiversity loss. Our societies are under great pressure. This requires a clear change of mentality, and above all, enlightened and responsible action. We need a transition at every level. This also applies to housing.

Housing policy means social policy. In a society where gaps are widening, it guarantees cohesion and social justice. That’s why all my efforts over the last few years have been devoted to facilitate access to affordable housing. Today we are planning and building the affordable public houses that should have been built in the last 40 years.

We do that with a lot of determination through massive public investment. A stock of at least 20% affordable, public and sustainable housing – that is the ultimate objective of my housing policy. Today we have a percentage of just 3%. This proactive policy to massively increase the availability of affordable housing, deployed through the National Affordable Housing Strategy, is already producing concrete and obvious results.

What three to five initiatives do you believe need to be taken to make progress in assuring affordable housing to the different constituencies seeking housing solutions?

The Special Support Fund for Housing Development, created in 2020, brings together all the housing projects currently under way that benefit from a financial contribution from the Ministry of Housing. In 2022, these “Aides à la pierre” (brick and mortar subsidies) provided a total of €173.6 million. At 31 December 2022, the Special Fund included 261 projects representing 3,306 homes in 72 municipalities. Between now and 2027, social housing developers have announced the delivery of around 3,900 homes. In one year, the stock of rental housing provided by public developers combined rose from 3,873 to 4,117 units. This represents an increase of more than 6% in public affordable housing – not counting the number of affordable homes co-financed by the Ministry and built by non-profit housing developers. According to forecasts, from 2024 onwards, annual investments by the Special Fund will exceed 300 million.

During this legislature, the funding laws for 10 new large-scale affordable housing projects have either been passed or are in progress. In all, they represent almost 3,300 homes and public invest of more than €1.5 billion.

In the years to come, this productive drive to create a substantial stock of affordable housing will be sustained by Housing Pact 2.0. Unlike its predecessor, the state’s new housing alliance with local authorities makes financial support conditional on a commitment to results.

I would like to point out that all these housing projects, which are co-financed by the Ministry of Housing, are carried out by construction firms. In view of the difficulties currently facing this sector and in line with the government’s anti-cyclical policy, the Ministry of Housing is stepping up its investments.

After decades of inaction, this massive public investment program in affordable housing is accompanied by a far-reaching reform process. With the Affordable Housing Reform, the financing, management and allocation of public housing will become more transparent, fairer and more efficient. It defines new important concepts and tools like affordability, affordable rent calculation and the introduction of the national register of affordable housing.

Last but not least, the reform of individual housing subsidies provides an extension and substantial increases in financial assistance for private market tenants and homeowners. As part of the tripartite agreements in March 2022, to alleviate the emergency affecting tenants in the private market, the Government decided to react quickly and introduce in advance the adjustments to the rent subsidy. Thus the rent subsidy increased in average for more than 50%.

All these reforms and investments are consolidated in the National Affordable Housing Strategy.

A roof over our head ensures stability, security and dignity. It’s a right due to everyone!

The business community is particularly concerned about the current imbalance between current housing offerings as compared to the needs for housing, especially with regards to the desire of many young university graduates to have affordable micro-housing accommodation solutions rather than being pressured to live in group housing. Are you open to engage in discussions to find better solutions in support of this vital business community?

The current housing crisis is affecting the whole Luxembourg society, and meanwhile it also has a growing economic impact. For this reason, the “Affordable Housing Reform” introduces, under certain conditions, public financial contributions for the creation of affordable public dwellings for employees and for students.

Unfortunately, because the necessary opinion of the Council of State was not ready, the important “reform of the residential tenancy act” could not be put to the vote in the Chamber of Deputies. This reform aimed to provide a better framework for the private market and combat excessive rents. Shared tenancies would have been better regulated and the real estate agency fees for tenants would have been substantially reduced. This is an important reform that must be finalized by the next government.