The Greens (Luxembourg)

The Greens (Déi Gréng, Les Verts, Die Grünen) is a Luxembourgian green political party.

1983-1994
The Greens were originally founded in 23 June 1983. In the 1984 election, the party got two seats in the Chamber of Deputies. In 1985, however the party split between two parties one called 'GLEI' (Green List, Ecological Initiative) and the other called 'GAP' (Green Alternative Party). They competed separately in the 1989 election, where each won two seats.

1994-now
In 1994, the two parties presented a common list for elections, and won five seats in the Chamber, winning nearly 11% of the vote and making this alliance the fourth force in parliament. In that year's European elections, which coincided with the national elections, the party won one of the six seats allotted to Luxembourg. In 1995, the two parties merged officially. That same year, the Greens' MEP, Jup Weber, left the party again, forming the Green and Liberal Alliance and joining the European Radical Alliance in the European Parliament.

In the 1999 elections, the party lost a considerable number of votes (falling to 9%), but retained its five seats in the Chamber and re-gained its single seat in the European Parliament. It received some competition from the Weber's Green and Liberal Alliance, who received 1% of the vote and no representation. In 2004, the Greens regained the ground that they had lost in 1999 and won two additional seats in the Chamber. Although they won 15% of the vote in the coinciding European elections, placing them third, they retained only their single seat. The party is currently the fourth largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and remains in opposition, but was invited for the coalition talks with the Christian Social People's Party.

Ideology & Issues
The Greens are a typical green party. Sustainable development are one of their key issues. However, topics such as an ecological tax reform, renewable energy and energy efficiency or the consolidation of pension funds play an equally and ever increasingly important role. Especially in a country such as Luxembourg, pioneer of a new melting-pot society in Europe, equal participation of migrants is of outmost importance.

Furthermore, in its declaration of principles it has outlined, among others, the following priorities:
 * Human rights and solidarity
 * Democracy
 * Social justice
 * Structural change of the economy
 * Equality between men and women
 * Non-violence
 * A commitment to a green and social Europe.

Seats in the European Parliament
After the 2004 European Parliament elections the party has one representative in the European Parliament. The Greens delegation is part of the European Green Party:

Communal government
Since 1993, the party has also competed on the communal level.

Currently, the Greens have 33 communal councillors, participate in 11 communal coalitions, and supply three mayors, one of whom is a woman. (Tilly Metz in Weiler-la-Tour) The other two mayors are:
 * Camille Gira in Beckerich and
 * Pierre Bormann in Neunhausen

Since 2000, the Greens have supplied an échevin in Esch-sur-Alzette in a coalition with the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party and, until 2005, The Left. The party's échevin is deputy Félix Braz.

In 2005, the greens won 41 mandates and the deputies François Bausch and the Viviane Loschetter became échevins in Luxembourg City in a coalition with the liberal Democratic Party.

Organisational structure
The Congress is the highest organ of the party, which sets out the party's strategy and political course. It is open to all members of the party. Every two years the congress elects the leadership of the party's organisation. This consists of two speakers, an executive committee, the party board in which the party's youth wing and women's organisation are also represented, an executive council that represents the congress, the treasurer and a financial control board.

Linked organisations
Déi Jonk Gréng is the party's youth wing. The Women's Council represents the women of the party.

International organisations
The Greens are member of the European Green Party and the Global Greens.

International Comparison
Internationally the Greens which combine green political goals with a cooperative attitude can clearly be compared to the German Alliance '90/The Greens.