We need an electoral system that is truly rooted in Luxembourg
For a modern electoral system with democratic legitimacy.
Democracy thrives when the future of a country is decided by those who are truly connected to that country. This very principle must also apply in the digital age.
The 2008 reform of the citizenship law significantly expanded the number of potential voters, and since then, more than 41,500 people have acquired Luxembourgish citizenship on the basis of historical descent, without being required to have a residence in Luxembourg or to be actually integrated into Luxembourg society. This group accounts for approximately 15 percent of the current Luxembourgish electorate. So far, their influence on national elections has remained limited because a separate motion / request for an absentee ballot must be submitted for each election, and international mail delivery poses a significant organizational hurdle.
The introduction of digital voting would largely eliminate this obstacle. Even if, in the future, only a portion of these citizens were to regularly exercise their right to vote digitally, this could mean tens of thousands of additional votes. In a country with approximately 280,000 eligible voters, a number of that magnitude could have a decisive impact on the outcome of national elections.
FOKUS supports the modernization of Luxembourg’s electoral law. Anyone eligible to vote should be able to cast their ballot easily, securely, and in a manner appropriate to the times—regardless of whether they are in Luxembourg or abroad. But it is also clear that Luxembourgish citizenship alone can no longer be a sufficient criterion; the right to vote must be tied to an actual connection to our country.
FOKUS therefore calls for a residency requirement for national parliamentary elections and referendums. All Luxembourg nationals who are resident in Luxembourg or who have previously lived in Luxembourg should be eligible to vote. As a practical solution, we propose that voters must have been officially registered in Luxembourg for at least three months prior to the election. This requirement can be verified easily and with legal certainty through the national population register.
Under this provision, the democratic rights of all actual Luxembourgers living abroad —such as students, workers, diplomats, or expatriates who have spent part of their lives in Luxembourg—are fully preserved. At the same time, it prevents individuals who acquired their citizenship solely on the basis of historical ancestry and have never lived in Luxembourg from having a say in the country’s political future.
Such a solution is in line with European practice. Several European Union member states make the right to vote for citizens living abroad contingent on prior residence or a demonstrable connection to their home country; in Denmark or Ireland, for example, only citizens with permanent residence in the country itself are eligible to vote. Luxembourg would therefore not be taking a unique path, but rather adopting a well-established democratic principle.
Without such a residency requirement, the introduction of digital voting would fundamentally alter the composition of the active electorate and lead to a significant shift in democratic legitimacy.
That is why, for FOKUS, the two reforms are inextricably linked:
- Introduction of a residency requirement for national elections and referendums to ensure that the right to vote remains tied to an actual connection to Luxembourg.
- Introduction of secure digital voting for all eligible voters based on MyGuichet, LuxTrust, and LuxID.
Our goals are neither to restrict democratic rights nor to disadvantage Luxembourgers living abroad. On the contrary: We want to offer all Luxembourgers with a genuine connection to their home country a modern and straightforward way to cast their vote.
FOKUS.
Digital voting: Yes—but for all eligible voters.
Having a say in Luxembourg’s affairs: Yes—but only for those with a genuine connection to Luxembourg.
