Majority of Luxembourgers think foreigners should gain right to vote

(CS) More than half of Luxembourg nationals surveyed in the most recent PolitMonitor study said that they were in favour of foreigners gaining the right to vote in national elections, provided they have lived in the Grand Duchy for several years.

In total, 52 percent were in favour with 47 percent against such a measure and the rest undecided. Noticeably, the younger population of Luxembourg was more positive than older voters.

Some 63 percent of voters aged 25 to 34 said that they agreed that voting rights should be extended to non-nationals. This was the highest proportion among five different age brackets, also featuring the largest number of those who “agreed completely” (17 percent).

They were followed by the 18 to 24-year-olds (58 percent) and the 35 to 49-year-olds (52 percent).

Less than half of those aged 50 to 64 agreed that foreigners should be allowed to vote in national elections. The largest proportion of respondents disagreeing with this suggestion were the over 65-year-olds. Almost a quarter said that they “absolutely disagree”, with 55 percent in total against the idea.

Government not in control

Other areas covered in the PolitMonitor included Luxembourg's economic situation, which 56 percent judged as doing well. Additionally, 76 percent of respondents said their personal financial situation was good.

In regard to the indexation of wages, a majority of 38 percent said that the old indexation regulation, which saw wages adjusted several times a year, should return. A quarter, meanwhile, said that wages should only be adjusted once per year, as is currently the case.

Additionally, 27 percent spoke out in favour of a capped index, which would see employees earning more than 2.5 or three times the minimum wage not receive the increase in pay.

Meanwhile, 59 percent of voters said that the Grand Duchy's politicians were “not really telling the truth” on top of 26 percent who said that they “don't tell the truth”. Only 12 percent of respondents said that politicians tell the truth.

This was reflected by three quarters of respondents saying that the next government will take measures not announced during the elections campaign.

On the whole, more than half of respondents felt that the current government does not have the situation of the country under control. During the last elections in 2009, 80 percent of respondents said that the government was in control of the situation.

The PolitMonitor results were gathered from a representative group of 1,009 Luxembourg nationals who have the right to vote. The study, commissioned by the “Luxemburger Wort” and RTL, was carried out by TNS Ilres between August 27 and September 13 online and via telephone.