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Parliamentary debates will temporarily be held outside of the Chamber of Deputies, due to covid-19 precautions. Pictured: Socially distant MPs are seen at the Chamber of Deputies, 21 March 2020. Photo credit: Chambre des Députés 

Due to social distancing rules, only a limited number of MPs are currently allowed to be present on the parliamentary floor at any given time. The rest of the MPs debate and vote via videoconference.

Shifting public sittings to the much larger the “grande salle” at the Cercle Cité will allow MPs to assemble in a single space, according to the chamber.

The Chamber of Deputies said on 30 March that the switch will take place “after Easter”. Sessions will continue to be videostreamed.

The Cercle Cité, located on the place d’Armes and completed in 1906, was originally conceived to serve as Luxembourg City Hall, but it was never used for that purpose. It has been used to hold cultural events and a number of conferences. It also hosted meetings of the European Coal and Steel Community, a forerunner of the European Commission, in the 1950s and 1960s.