Christian Social People's Party

The Christian Social People's Party (Luxembourgish: Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei, French: Parti populaire chrétien-social, German: Christlich Soziale Volkspartei), abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian-democratic[1][2] ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, is strongly pro-European.[3] The CSV is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and the Centrist Democrat International (CDI).

This article is about the Luxembourgish political party. For the defunct Liechtensteiner political party, see Christian-Social People's Party (Liechtenstein).

Christian Social People's Party

Chrëschtlech-Sozial Vollekspartei
PresidentFrank Engel
General SecretaryFélix Eischen
Founded1944 (1944)
Preceded byParty of the Right
Headquarters4 rue de l'Eau
Luxembourg
Youth wingChristian Social Youth
IdeologyChristian democracy[1][2]
Conservatism
Pro-Europeanism[3]
Political positionCentre[3][4] to centre-right[5]
European affiliationEuropean People's Party
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
ColoursOrange, Grey
Chamber of Deputies
21 / 60
European Parliament
2 / 6
Local councils
209 / 600
Website
www.csv.lu
Luxembourg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Luxembourg

The CSV has been the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies since the party's formation, and currently holds 23 of 60 seats in the Chamber. Since the Second World War, every Prime Minister of Luxembourg has been a member of the CSV, with only two exceptions: Gaston Thorn (1974–1979), and Xavier Bettel (2013–). It holds three of Luxembourg's six seats in the European Parliament, as it has for 20 of the 30 years for which MEPs have been directly elected.

The party's President is since January 2019 Frank Engel. However, the leading figure from the party is the former Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, who previously governed in coalition with the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) until the 2013 general election.

History

The earliest roots of the CSV date back to the foundation of the Party of the Right on 16 January 1914.

In 1944, the Party of the Right was officially transformed into the CSV. The first elections after the Second World War took place in 1945; the party won 25 out of 51 seats, missing an absolute majority by a single seat.

From 1945 to 1974, the party was in government and gave Luxembourg the following Prime Ministers: Pierre Dupong, Joseph Bech, Pierre Frieden, and Pierre Werner. Mostly in coalition with the Democratic Party (DP), it gave Luxembourg a certain economic and social stability.

In the 1950s, the party structure underwent a certain democratisation: the party's youth section (founded in 1953) and women's section received representation in the party's central organs.[6]

The party went into opposition for the first time in 1974, when the Democratic Party's Gaston Thorn became Prime Minister in coalition with the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP). In 1979, the party returned to government after its victory in the 1979 general election; Pierre Werner became PM.

In 1984, Jacques Santer became PM. He remained as such until 1995, when Jean-Claude Juncker became PM, with Santer meanwhile taking up the post of President of the European Commission.

Following the 2013 general election, the party went into opposition for the second time in its history as the Democratic Party's Xavier Bettel became Prime Minister in coalition with the LSAP and The Greens, making it the first time in Luxembourg's history that a three-party coalition government had been formed. This also marked the first time that The Greens were part of a governmental coalition. Despite remaining the largest party, the result of the 2018 general election represented the lowest public support in the party's history.

Election results
  1. Partial election. Only half of the seats were up for renewal.

Party office-holders

Presidents

General Secretaries
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Presidents of Christian Social People's Party in the Chamber of Deputies
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+ Died in office

See also

References
  1. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Luxembourg". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  2. Hans Slomp (2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 477. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8.
  3. Terry, Chris (6 May 2014). "Christian Social People's Party (CSV)". The Democratic Society.
  4. "All about the Lëtzebuerger Chrestlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV)". Luxembourg Times. 6 October 2013.
  5. Josep M. Colomer (2008). Comparative European Politics. Taylor & Francis. p. 221. ISBN 978-0-203-94609-1.
  6. "Geschicht". CSV.lu. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  7. "François Biltgen". Service Information et Presse. 7 June 2006. Archived from the original on 9 July 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2006.
  8. New leader for the CSV
  9. "Perséinlechkeeten aus der CSV" (in Luxembourgish). Christian Social People's Party. Archived from the original on 26 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.

Further reading
  • Poirie, Philippe (2004). Steven Van Hecke; Emmanuel Gerard (eds.). At the Centre of the State: Christian Democracy in Luxembourg. Christian Democratic Parties in Europe Since the End of the Cold War. Leuven University Press. pp. 179–195. ISBN 90-5867-377-4.
  • Schaus, Émile (1974). Ursprung und Leistung einer Partei: Rechtspartei und Christlich-Soziale Volkspartei 1914-1974. Luxembourg : Sankt-Paulus-Druckerei.
  • Trausch, Gilbert, ed. (2008). CSV Spiegelbild eines Landes und seiner Politik? Geschichte der Christlich-Sozialen Volkspartei Luxemburgs im 20. Jahrhundert. Luxembourg: Éditions Saint-Paul.
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