17th May 2019

EURO ELECTIONS POSTAL VOTE BOOM

More than 53 000 people opted for a postal vote in the upcoming European elections.  Voting in the elections is compulsory for Luxembourg citizens, and they are being held on the Sunday in the week the Whitsun school holidays take place.  This suggests 19% of voters won’t be there in person, and there are probably a few more who have signed off the electoral role because of unavailability as well.  The current government has legislated so that people who want to use a postal vote don’t have to give a reason why, although people who ask to be absented still do.   

LENIENT SENTENCE FOR DRUNK DRIVER KILLER

A man has been given a 2 year suspended prison sentence and a partial driving ban after killing two people in a road accident in 2017 near Dippach.  A couple in their twenties died when the man veered across the road in his car, striking that of the victims which then hit a tree.  He escaped injury, but police found he had around 4 times the permitted level of alcohol in his blood.  The court did not explain why it had opted for such a lenient sentence, other than to say the man could still use his car to drive to work, despite the ban.   

ARMY RECRUITMENT ISSUES – SOLUTIONS ON THE WAY

Recruitment problems at the Army are being tackled, according to armed forces minister Francois Bausch.  But Mr Bausch says things aren’t going to change quickly.  The main solution is to allow foreign citizens to join the army, but on the condition that they speak good enough Luxembourgish.  Mr Bausch says there are also reforms which could make the life of a soldier more appealing to young people.  That would include more flexibility about when leave could be taken, and what career paths they can take after their time in the forces.  Earlier this week around 550 schoolchildren attended a careers day at the main army base in Diekirch.  Recruitment specialists from the police, the prison service, customs and other state employers were also present. 

BIKER CRACKDOWN

Police had a crackdown on motorcyclists who ride between the lanes of stationary cars on motorways.  More than 100 bikers were caught in the morning rush hour on the A3 motorway jumping the queue like this.  This is legal in many countries but not in Luxembourg for some reason, but it has been suggested it is just out of spite.  In fact there is no clear ban on it in the highway code here, so police used the bits about not changing lane without due caution, and putting the lives of others at risk as an excuse for the crackdown.