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The Council of Government of Luxembourg consists of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and a number of ministers.

It was created by Grand Ducal decree on 29 August 1846, as the administrator of the country: "The Council of Government administers the country , while complying with laws and regulations (...) The administration of the country being entrusted to the Council of Government, every measure and administrative decision emanates from it, excepting the authorisation or approval of the Grand Duke, in cases determined by the laws and regulations."[1][2]

It meets on a weekly basis to discuss bills to propose to the Chamber of Deputies.[1] It is obliged to deliberate as a group on matters to be submitted to the Grand Duke.[1]

Its decisions are taken by a majority of votes.[1] In case of an even split, the Prime Minister has the casting vote.[1]

All members of the government are responsible for every decision taken by the Council of Government which they agreed with.[1] However, if a minister who makes their disagreement known in the minutes of a Council of Government meeting, they may be freed from their responsibility.[1]

Size and titles

The Constitution of 1868 did not put a limit on the number of members of the government, nor did it provide a title for them.[3] It gave the Grand Duke the freedom to create ministries and to divide up departments according to his needs.[3] In the 19th century and up until the 1930s, the government generally consisted of the Prime Minister and three "administrators-general", or from 1857, "directors-general".[3] The decree of 24 March 1936 changed their titles to "ministers".[3] The growth in the number of ministers came about after the Second World War, when the National Union Government was formed.[3] After this, the government's number of ministers increased in parallel with the growth of the State's scope of activities, and Luxembourg's integration in international politics.[3] At the beginning of the 2009-2013 legislature, the government was composed of 15 ministers.[3]

Current Cabinet

Main article: Frieden-Bettel Government
Ministry Incumbent Since Party
Prime Minister Luc Frieden November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation, Foreign Trade and the Greater Region 		Xavier Bettel November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister of Finance Gilles Roth November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism Lex Delles November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Viticulture Martine Hansen November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister for National Education, Housing, Children and Youth Claude Meisch November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister of Home Affairs Léon Gloden November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister for the Family, Solidarity and the Reception of Refugees Max Hahn November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister of Justice
Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Media and Communications
Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Relations with Parliament 		Elisabeth Margue November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister of Defence
Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity
Minister of Mobility and Public Works 		Yuriko Backes November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister for Sport and Labour George Mischo November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister for Culture
Minister delegate for Tourism 		Éric Thill November 17, 2023 Democratic Party
Minister for the Civil Service and the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity Serge Wilmes November 17, 2023 Christian Social People's Party
Minister for Digitalisation, Research and Higher Education Stéphanie Obertin November 17, 2023 Democratic Party

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Conseil de gouvernement". www.gouvernement.lu (in French). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  2. ^ Original text: "Le Conseil de gouvernement administre le pays en se conformant aux lois et règlements. (...) L'administration du pays étant confiée au Conseil de gouvernement, toute mesure ou décision administrative émane de lui, sauf l'autorisation ou l'approbation du Grand-Duc, dans les cas déterminés par les lois ou règlements."
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Thewes, Guy (2011). Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg depuis 1848 (PDF) (in French). Service Information et Presse. p. 9. ISBN 978-2-87999-212-9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2016-01-06.


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