Photo shows a couple walking down avenue JF Kennedy, in Kirchberg Maison moderne/archives

Photo shows a couple walking down avenue JF Kennedy, in Kirchberg Maison moderne/archives

It is the first time that Mercer composed a separate “personal safety” ranking, examining internal stability, crime levels, law enforcement, limitations on personal freedom and freedom of the press.

“Personal safety is the cornerstone of stability in any city, without which business and talent cannot thrive,” Mercer wrote in a press statement published on Wednesday.

European cities dominate the safety ranking, with Helsinki, Basel, Bern and Zurich in joint second.

While the ranking spells good news for Luxembourg on the global stage, the ranking may also surprise some in Luxembourg where crime levels fluctuate. Police figures for 2017 showed that overall crimes reported fell by 4.7% on the previous year. However, there was a growing trend in thefts from cars, public drunkenness and burglaries in empty homes. It also found that foreign nationals were slightly more impacted by crime than Luxembourgers across most categories. Luxembourg introduced controversial video surveillance in the capital in 2007.

The “visupol” programme has been extended in recent years. On Monday, the government announced it would further extend the scheme by schools and children’s playgrounds in the Gare district and on the cycle bridge on Pont Adolphe. The cameras will be installed in the coming weeks. After a year, police will analyse crime to see whether the cameras have shifted crime to other areas.

Quality of living

The grand duchy also ranked 18th for best quality of living. European cities dominated the overall ranking, with top spot going to Vienna, Austria, for the tenth year running. Zurich secured second, Munich third, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt were sixth and seventh, followed by Copenhagen, Geneva and Basel.

Published on Wednesday, the ranking is based on quality of living factors that affect expatriates, such as climate, disease and sanitation, ease of communications, and physical remoteness. Its data is used by employers to compensate staff when placing them on international assignments.