Politics

Liberty Party — Liberté Fräiheet in Luxembourg (LF)

We'll explore various facets of the LF party, its structure and representativeness, as well as the leadership under Roy Reding's guidance and influential figures shaping the party's trajectory.

Table of content

In the dynamic realm of Luxembourg's political landscape, a new player has emerged, and its name carries a promise of freedom and reform. Liberté Fräiheet, founded by Roy Reding in July 2023, marks a significant departure from his previous affiliation with the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR).

Liberté party at a glance

With a mere few months of existence, Liberté is already gearing up for the upcoming October legislative elections. Positioned firmly between the center-right and right-wing spectrum, this choice reflects its founder's political background. While the exact contours of Liberté's ideology are still taking shape, there is anticipation that it may inherit certain elements from ADR's political orientation.

In the realm of ministerial roles, the Liberté Party does not hold any ministerial positions within the government. In 2023 they have participated in the General Elections with a result of 42,653 votes, equal to 1.13% share of all votes. It did

In 2023 they have participated in the General Elections with a result of 42,653 votes, equal to 1.13% share of all votes. It did not, however, gave them any seats at the Chamber.

Elections

Parties

Leaders

Political Guide

Struвcture and representativeness

As of its formation in June, the Liberté party commenced its journey with an initial cadre of 60 members, and additional members may have joined since then. However, the current membership figures remain undisclosed to the public, with no official visibility on the current count.

The inner life of a party

Not available to the public

Regarding the party's organizational structure, at this juncture, Liberté has not made it public. Their website carries a message indicating that they will soon disclose this information, in accordance with the regulations governing political parties in Luxembourg.

Leaders of the party

What is evident at this stage is Liberté's proactive approach to preparing for the upcoming elections. They have already established complete candidate lists for all four electoral constituencies, demonstrating their intent to contest the elections comprehensively. Among these lists, Roy Reding notably appears as a leading national candidate in the Central constituency.

Electoral system divides the country into four constituencies. The number of seats allocated to each constituency is proportional to its population

seats in the South

seats in the Center

seats in the North

seats in the East

People and influence in the party

Key personnel profiles

Regarding parliamentary representation, while Liberté is a recently established party and currently lacks members in the legislative branch, it's noteworthy that the party's leader, Roy Reding, currently serves as a Deputy in the Chamber of Deputies. However, it's important to clarify that he assumed this position while still a member of his former party, the ADR (Alternative Democratic Reform Party). Luxembourgish government.

Leaders of the party

Roy Reding

As the Liberté Party takes its first steps in Luxembourg's political arena, the composition of its key management bodies remains undisclosed to the public. While Roy Reding leads the party as its founder and leader, the precise individuals occupying crucial positions within the party's structure are yet to be officially revealed.

Steve Schmitz

Following resignation of Roy Reding, Schmitz has followed, leaving his seat in the ADR party to join him in the creation of a new political movement. Currently he serves as one of the prominent members of the LF.

Patrick Michel

The Liberté Fräiheet party leading candidate for the upcoming elections in the Eastern constituency of Luxembourg

Giovanni Patri

The Liberté Fräiheet party leading candidate for the upcoming elections in the Southern constituency of Luxembourg

Other key members of the party

Bas Schagen

The LF candidate for the upcoming elections in the Central constituency

Carole Van Wissen-Dentzer

The LF candidate for the upcoming elections in the Northern constituency

Gilles Baatz

The LF candidate for the upcoming elections in the Eastern constituency

Perrine Félix

The LF candidate for the upcoming elections in the Southern constituency

In the realm of ministerial roles, the Liberté Party has not yet participated in legislative elections and consequently does not hold any ministerial positions within the government.

As for European representation, it's essential to note that, as the Liberté Party was founded in 2023, it has not yet had the opportunity to participate in European elections. The European elections are scheduled for 6-9 June of 2024. Thus, the party's foray into the European Parliament remains a prospect.

There are 705 seats in the European Parliament.

6 seats

are granted to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in the European Parliament

96 seats

are held by Germany, the most populous EU state, and the neighbor of the GDL

The Liberté Party doesn't yet hold any of these seats.

Liberté’s current political stance

Liberté Party derives its name from the core value of freedom, a foundational principle that underpins its political mission and guiding ideology.

According to the party's perspective, over the years, fundamental rights constitutionally guaranteed to citizens have faced disproportionate and often surreptitious erosion. This trend became especially apparent during the pandemic, with many politicians, nearly across the board, imposing authoritarian measures on citizens. Liberté Party asserts that this pattern predates the pandemic and continues beyond its declared end.

The party and its cornerstones

Central to Liberté's platform is the conviction that fundamental rights should only be restricted in exceedingly rare circumstances, and even then, only with the utmost respect for proportionality. They advocate for the accessibility of the Constitutional Court as a recourse for both lawmakers and citizens if they believe that proportionality has been disregarded.

Party views visualization

The LF party prioritizes individual freedom and seeks to reduce state interference in people's lives, especially regarding the control and pubishment. They believe in the principle of self-determination and feel that modern politics lacks respect for people's choices.

The LF is known for its strong advocacy of minimal state interference

Individual responsibility

Liberté contends that numerous restrictions and regulations, both in private and professional spheres, are excessive, unnecessary, and hinder the pursuit of a free life.

Direct democracy

The party focuses on the need for frequent and systematic input from citizens in the approval or rejection of significant legislative initiatives or government projects.

Constitutional Court

They advocate for the accessibility of the Constitutional Court as a recourse for both lawmakers and citizens if they believe that proportionality has been disregarded.

In terms of climate change initiatives, the LF party believes that while addressing environmental concerns, the financial burden on citizens from measures like the CO2 tax and stringent energy standards has led to significant social challenges. They advocate for a balanced policy that protects the environment without neglecting social needs or pushing extreme measures.

To delve deeper into the specifics of their platform and understand their stance across various societal domains, a detailed examination of their electoral program is necessary.

Political program for 2023 elections

Liberté Party's comprehensive political program spans various fields, each reflecting their core values and policy priorities. Here we offer you a condensed summary of their vision across five key areas.

Health

Safety

Construction and housing

Education and languages

Nature conservation and agriculture

Party representation

Given that the party's founder, Roy Reding, hails from the ADR (Alternative Democratic Reform Party), it is likely that some members of this former party may find resonance with Liberté's platform. Roy Reding has suggested that the ADR has adopted an increasingly populist discourse, and a segment of the population historically aligned with ADR's values may now gravitate toward Liberté.

Electorate demographics

Consequently, a portion of the population feeling represented by the Liberté Party could originate from such groups

Right-leaning individuals

Traditionalist voters

Predominantly rural

Nonetheless, it's also reasonable to anticipate that historical voters from other parties may align with the values of liberty championed by Liberté.

Liberté party in comparison

	LF	LSAP	CSV	Greens
Environment	Middle	Low	Low	High
Electorate	Older	Older	Older	Young
Trade unions	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Secularism	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

Liberté Party office is located in Luxembourg City

Office location: 8 Rue Notre Dame, Luxembourg
Phone number: (+352) 2 86 66 81
Official website: fraiheet.lu

Brief history of the party

While the Liberté Party is in its infancy, its roots and founding motivations offer insight into its emergence in June and July of 2023.

Roots of the party: Summer of 2023

One significant catalyst for the party's birth was the dissatisfaction of its founder, Roy Reding, with his former party, the ADR, for not including him as a candidate in the upcoming legislative elections. Having represented the ADR for over a decade, Reding found this exclusion unacceptable, prompting him to seek a new political path.
Another driving force behind the Liberté Party's formation was a growing discontent with what Reding perceived as increasingly populist rhetoric within his former party. This dissatisfaction with the party's evolving discourse contributed to his decision to break away and create a new political entity.
Against this backdrop, the groundwork for the party's foundation was laid on July 9, 2023, as a manifesto circulated among like-minded individuals who shared similar sensibilities. These shared values, discussed in preceding sections, culminated in a meeting of 60 individuals, leading to the formal birth of the Liberté Party. Though in its nascent stage, the party is already positioned to shape Luxembourg's political landscape with its distinctive principles and vision.

Who is Roy Reding, the leading candidate and founder of the LF

Roy Reding

Deputy and national candidate of the Liberte Fraiheet party in Luxembourg

Reding began his political journey with the ADR, a party whose principles resonated with him. He aimed for a seat in the Council of State of Luxembourg in 2005 and was elected as Secretary-General of the ADR in 2006.
He contested in both the national and EU parliaments in the 2009 elections. Though he narrowly missed a national parliament seat, he later secured it in the 2013 snap elections after Jacques-Yves Henckes exited the party.
Upon becoming a Member of Parliament in November 2013, Reding was part of several key Parliamentary Commissions and represented Luxembourg in the Benelux Parliament. He was re-elected in the 2018 elections with a notable increase in votes.