In a surprise decision on Wednesday, the European Parliament decided to trigger a procedure to sanction one of its member states: Hungary. The battle for the future of Europe is on.
Are young candidates worth the hype?
You’ve seen them by now: large posters filling the cities and countryside of the Grand Duchy, proudly presenting the numerous faces running for parliament. And, as with every election cycle, the political parties are bragging about the presence of ‘young’ candidates (less than 35 years of age) on their ballots. Media outlets then calculate the […]
Petition passes parliament: can these activists ban smoking on terraces?
A petition launched by former teachers-union president Daniel Reding recently reached the necessary threshold of 4,500 signatures, in order to be debated in parliament. With only a narrow 4,550 signatures, the Committee on Petitions will first investigate the signatures before then organising a public hearing on said question. Reding is asking for a complete ban […]
The government’s ambiguity on the sharing economy is a problem
Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Economy supports sharing services such as Airbnb, yet the minister of transport has banned the ride-sharer Uber. This contradiction won’t have escaped those who follow government policy closely – and who can only be surprised by the gulf between deputy prime minister Etienne Schneider (LSAP) and transport minister François Bausch (déi […]
The Commission front-runner: who is Manfred Weber?
The German politician Manfred Weber is the current front-runner of the European People’s Party (EPP), making him the most likely personality to become the next Commission president. So who is Manfred Weber, and what does his candidacy mean for EU politics?
Children and youth politics aren’t cute, they’re creepy
Be it municipal children’s councils or national youth organizations: the effort to promote children in politics is ongoing. To nobody’s surprise, the kids reach the exact conclusions that the adults want them to reach.
Italy’s funding threat will force the next European Commission to make fundamental choices
In a recent statement, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Luigi de Maio said that if the European Union cannot agree on a comprehensive redistribution system of migrants coming from Africa, the government could withhold funds to Brussels. This would be a first in the history of the EU, and presents some key questions about the federalism […]
“Fraktiounszwang”: How Luxembourgish MPs let themselves be bullied into following the party line
“Who’s in favour? Who’s against? Who abstains?” The questions asked by parliamentary chairman Mars Di Bartolomeo (LSAP) aren’t that different from those of any other parliament in Europe. Yet Luxembourg is different, if only due to its size. Indeed, any legislature that could fit into your average pizzeria is unquestionably small. But, with only 60 […]
Credit card or flights: extra fees are a good thing
Be it credit card fees or extra fees on airlines, politicians are trying to crack down on extra charges in the name of protecting the consumer. In reality, they do quite the opposite.
Quoted by CNS News
I was quoted by the American news outlet CNS News on the topic of Nazi protests in Chemnitz, Germany. You can read the full article here.
Bill Wirtz 