The tabloid magazine was ordered to pay François Bausch €1 and fined €2,000 for publishing an article that defamed and slandered the cabinet minister. “Luxprivat” had claimed that the minister had attempted to pass blame for the fatal rail accident in Dudelange in 2017 on to the French authorities. The court agreed with Bausch’s lawyers and ordered the tabloid’s publisher, Boulevardpresse, to pay court costs and also to publish the ruling in one of its next editions and on its website.

“Luxprivat” was acquitted in a second case over articles that accused the minister of ridiculing the victims of fatal road accidents, and of being a failure whose actions lead to road deaths. Rosario Grasso, representing Bausch, had demanded €30,000 in compensation for the damage done to his reputation by the article and the images that accompanied it.

On Facebook the Green party minister reacted to reports of the court ruling by saying: “Lies should not be allowed to stand, stop Fakenews!”