"I will retire from active politics on 1 October 2022 and resign from my mandate as a Member of Parliament." This is what (71) told her CSV colleagues, the party announced on Tuesday 13 September. "For 43 years, I have tried to do my best to make Luxembourg and Europe a better place,” said the former European Commisioner and president of the CSV.
Originally a journalist, Reding was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1979 and was re-elceted in 1984 and 1989. She was a member of the Esch-sur-Alzette municipal council between 1981 and 1999. She returned to domestic politics and entered parliament again following the 2018 elections after a career that also took her to the European Parliament and the European Commission.
As European Commissioned, Reding was successively in charge of education, culture, youth, media and sports, then information society, technological research and media, and justice, fundamental rights and citizenship. Her landmark achievement during that time was probably setting in motion the regulation that ended roaming charges within the EU.
Reding also sits on several boards and advisory councils in Europe and is vice-president of the World Law Foundation.
George Mischo, mayor Esch and a CSV MP, called Reding a “grand lady of politics” in a tweet. “43 years of committment for Esch, Europe and Luxembourg,” he wrote.
, co-chair of the CSV fraction in the House, describes a "collegial and competent leader". She added: "We will miss a central figure in Luxembourg and European politics."
"Her voice will continue to be heard within the party," added CSV party co-chair
Prime minister (DP) was also keen to pay homage to Reding on Twitter. “Even if we were not always in agreement, so many policies would not be a reality today without your dedication at the EU level. The fruits of your involvement in national and European politics remain. Therefore I say a big thank you.”
Elisabeth Margue in position to succeed her
Who will take her place? The results of the 2018 parliamentary elections in the central constituency where Viviane Reding stood for election show that the party member best placed to succeed her in the Chamber is (32). This was confirmed early in the evening by Claude Wiseler, who said that "the CSV fraction will welcome her if she accepts the post".
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In addition to the fact that parliamentary elections are just over a year away in October 2023, Margue would probably find being an MP a great way to step into the spotlight, even if she has has been working alongside Claude Wiseler as for a few months now.
But it would also undoubtedly give Margue the media space she needs to forget that her name had been mentioned in the 'CSV Frëndeskrees affair', before she was acquitted by the Luxembourg criminal court.