Luc Frieden, the CSV lead candidate, on left, received a mandate to try assembling a coalition government from Grand Duke Henri on 9 October 2023. Photo: Maison du Grand-Cour Grand-Ducale

Luc Frieden, the CSV lead candidate, on left, received a mandate to try assembling a coalition government from Grand Duke Henri on 9 October 2023. Photo: Maison du Grand-Cour Grand-Ducale

Grand Duke Henri has named CSV lead candidate Luc Frieden as “formateur,” which means he will lead coalition talks to form a new government.

was designated “formateur” late Monday afternoon, which means Frieden has a chance to be the country’s next prime minister.

Frieden was seen entering the Grand Ducal Palace shortly before 5pm. After a roughly 40-minute meeting, the palace the grand duke “invited Mr Luc Frieden (CSV) for an audience to name him formateur of a new government.”

“Formateur” literally means a ‘former’ or ‘instructor’ but is a prospective PM who has formally been given a mandate to assemble and put forward a cabinet to the grand duke that will secure a parliamentary vote of confidence. A formateur is named when the shape of a government is clear, but a coalition agreement still needs to be brokered. There is no guarantee that a formateur’s talks will succeed and it is possible that the grand duke could name another formateur if negotiations stall or fail.

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Frieden’s CSV won the largest bloc, 21 MPs, in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. CSV party leaders, along with those of the second-placed DP, the party of outgoing PM , were both expected to meet on Monday evening to discuss coalition negotiation strategies.

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