The elections were originally scheduled for November 2018. Concerns were raised that campaigns for the social elections would be overshadowed by the parliamentary election taking place on 14 October.

The new date was set on Thursday, when MPs agreed that in future the social elections, which take place every five years, should always be held between February and March. The exact date will depend on when the school holidays fall.

A second proposal put forward on Thursday, to appoint three additional members to the chamber of employees, was dropped. It had been proposed that the three members would represent the three main workers’ unions.

It failed to receive State Council approval because of legal uncertainty and because other members of the chamber of employees have to be elected. Suggestions to hold an indirect election to appoint these three new members failed to convince opponents and the provision was removed from the bill.