At its annual congress in Bascharage on Tuesday evening the LSAP socialist party voted in a new president and other members of the national committee.

The sole candidate for the leadership of the party was 46-year old member of parliament Franz Fayot, who received 88% of the votes. Fayot, who studied law at the Sorbonne and was admitted to the Luxembourg bar in 1997, has been a member of parliament since the 2013 elections. A father of three, he is the son of veteran LSAP parliamentarian and MEP Ben Fayot, who was also president of the party from 1985 to 1997.

Fayot, who replaces Claude Haagen, told the congress that the party needed renewing following its disappointing results at the October 2018 elections, at which it lost three seats and saw its share of the vote fall to 17.6%. He said the party had to change its approach to how it campaigned and communicated, saying that voters no longer attend public meetings.

Fayot also renewed the call for the LSAP to recruit young talent, saying that it had neglected to do so for far too long. And, the party also had to develop new ideas and find a credible voice in addressing subjects including ecology, fiscal justice (he has been an advocate for tax transparency), housing and mobility while also retaining its identity. “We all have our own ideas, but above all we share the same values,” he said.

The congress also confirmed Roeser mayor Tom Jungen as its new general secretary--he received 95% of the votes and replaces Yves Cruchten. Cabinet minister Paulette Lenert and Dudelange mayor and MP Dan Biancalana were also voted in as the party’s new vice-presidents.