Claude Wiseler, President of the Luxembourg Parliament – Chamber of Deputies
Please introduce yourself to our audience so our readers and members better understand your life story.
My name is Claude Wiseler, I am the President of the Luxembourg Parliament – the Chamber of Deputies – since November 21st, 2023.
After my studies in Paris (doctorate (PhD), master’s degree in French language and literature, degree in general and comparative literature), I taught languages at the Athénée de Luxembourg and the Lycée Technique du Centre. I then was assigned to the Ministry of National Education before holding the post of government advisor to the Ministry of Family Affairs as well as to the Ministry of Small and medium-sized businesses and Tourism.
I have always been interested in politics. In 1984 I became a member of the CSV. I was secretary general of my party from 1995 to 2000. After the elections of June 1999, I entered the parliament and was re-elected ever since (2004, 2009, 2013, 2018 and 2023).
From 2004 to 2013 I was a member of the government, from 2004-2009 in charge of public works and in charge of the civil service and administrative reform, and from 2009-2013 in charge of transport, public works, environment, and territorial reorganisation.
After the elections of 2013 I became chairman of the CSV parliamentary group for the legislature. I was President of my party (CSV) between 2021 and 2023. After the elections that took place on October 8th, 2023, the members of the parliament elected me as their President, which is a great honour for me.
I am married, the father of three children and grandfather of three grandchildren.
What are the values which guide your decision making and why are they important to you?
I would say that I have one major guideline: Democracy and freedom.
In Luxembourg we have the privilege to live in a country where democracy and freedom are normal today. But we must take good care of our democracy and help defend it. A free democracy is a gift we must honour and protect. A democracy is not set in stone. Democracy is never guaranteed. One must always and everywhere advocate for democracy.
In a democracy the power is based on the trust of the people and so it must also be put at the service of the people. It obliges to commitment, to exemplarity, to humility. To do politics is to be at the service of the people. The etymology of the word deputy is: one who is sent on a mission to represent. We are the voice of those who sent us into the parliament.
What is the role of the President of the Chamber of Deputies?
As President of the parliament, I maintain order in the assembly, ensure that regulations are observed, judge the admissibility of questions, texts, motions, and other proposals, chair sessions, announce the results of votes and the decisions of the Chamber.
As President I also lead the meetings of the executive office and the conference of presidents.
But the function of President of the Chamber of Deputies goes beyond that. A primordial component of my work lies in representation and parliamentary diplomacy. Participating in a wide variety of events in Luxembourg and abroad is an important part of my work.
And another element – not less important – is that as President, I can launch new ideas to modernise the institution. I finalised, for example, the idea in the conference of presidents of streaming parliamentary committees. Since April 16th, we are now in a test phase with the live broadcast of five committees. After a few months, we will evaluate this test phase and will eventually extend the broadcasting to other committees.
And finally, to listen and to dialogue with every political fraction in the parliament is very important for me.
What are the five current most significant challenges you and the members of the Chamber of Deputies are facing?
– to protect of democracy
– to strengthen the people’s trust in politics
– to keep the parliament in the centre of the political debate/life
– to face a highly sensitive and unpredictable global geopolitical context
– to handle the benefits and the risks of artificial intelligence
And of course, to work on their daily business, meaning important reforms in housing issues, education, health and other politics.
What are the processes and procedures that are adhered to by the Chamber of Deputies in the fulfilment of their mandate of service to the nation?
Our parliament is the centre of our democracy in Luxembourg. It is a single chamber parliament. Its members are elected directly by the people. Its role and powers have evolved constantly.
The parliament has the legislative power. It has three major competences: legislative work by passing laws, supervising government, and debating on fundamental questions before proposing concrete legislative measures.
The rules for the functioning of the parliament can be found in the “règlement de la Chambre des Députés”, the “electoral law” and the Constitution.
What are the strengths and limits of the institution of the Chamber of Deputies?
Since the constitutional revision, the Chamber is the strongest parliament our country ever had. The amended Constitution that came into effect in 2023, strengthened the powers of the Chamber with for instance easier access for parliamentarians to information and the right of investigation. A commission of inquiry may be required by 20 out of 60 members of parliament. We also have the possibility to adopt a motion of confidence or a motion of censure regarding the Government. With these new changes, the parliament is now even stronger than before.
What ultimately counts is the quality of the work done here. And the quality of the work ultimately depends on the commitment, competence, knowledge, work, and presence of the deputies – in the public sessions, in the commissions or international institutions. That’s why I don’t think that member of parliament is a half day job. And so, I plead that we jointly revise the statute of the deputy.
With approximately 50% of the resident population of Luxembourg being non-Luxembourg passport holders, by what means do you and your colleagues engage with the foreign population to ensure this population’s concerns are given appropriate attention?
The parliament is an open house of democracy. The resident population that does not have the Luxembourg passport has other possibilities to be involved in politics.
– We have the local elections that are open for non-Luxembourg passport holders under certain conditions.
– People coming from a European country can vote in the Luxemburgish cities for the European parliament.
– People working in Luxembourg vote for the professional chambers, which give the parliament their opinion in the legislative process.
– People can bring in or sign a petition, which will be debated publicly if it reaches 4.500 signatures.
– the political groups of our parliament often have meetings with associations that represent our foreign population.
And, as Luxembourg is a small country, the ways to approach a parliamentarian are easier and shorter than in a larger country…
Likewise, how does the Chamber of Deputies interact with the international business community which plays such an important role on economic issues and to what degree is this community important to your Deputies?
The international business community is of course of high importance to the Luxembourg parliament.
First, the national and international business community is represented in our national professional chambers, like the Chamber of commerce. Depending on the fields, the opinion of relevant professional chambers is required. These chambers are asked to send official opinions/reports on bill of laws or proposed laws, so they participate in the legislative procedure. These reports are analysed in a parliamentary committee.
Secondly, parliamentary groups can organize meetings with actors of the international business community. This is more on an informal basis. These actors have to register in the lobby (transparency) register of the Luxembourg parliament (“régistre de transparence”).
How does the Chamber of Deputies involve itself or coordinate with the European Commission in Brussels and European Parliament in Strasbourg?
On the parliamentarian level: the Luxembourg Parliament set up an EU subcommittee a few weeks ago to focus more on European issues and promote discussion on important subjects.
Luxembourg EU Parliamentarians are involved in the works of the committee for European and foreign policy and are invited to every meeting of this committee. The Prime Minister and the Minister for European and foreign affairs are regularly invited to the committee (before and/or after each council) to brief the members.
We also have good relations with the President of the European Parliament. I was in Brussels in January for a courtesy visit. Mrs Metsola also visited the Chamber in January.
The parliament also regularly welcomes European commissioners to discuss specific topics or reports.
On an administrative level: the Chamber has a representative at the European Institutions, who has an office in the EU Parliament and who works as a connection between the EU institutions and the Chamber.
We have good and constant relations both with the representation of the EU Commission in Luxembourg as well as with the representation of the EU Parliament.
Thank you very much Mr Wiseler for your service to the nation and for your willingness to interact with and inform our readership and members!