On 8 October, the day of the local elections, local residents of Kopstal and Bridel will also vote on whether their commune should break away from the South constituency.

The initiative goes back to a motion by Green councillor Christophe Reuter.

Apparently, the question kept coming up because people wanted to vote in the Centre constituency in national parliamentary elections, rather than the South.

In an interview with the Luxemburger Wort, Reuter explained that

“we just want to find out whether the majority of Kopstal residents really want this change or whether it’s just the same few who grumble loudly, but are in fact in a minority.”

The South constituency comprises the cantons of Esch-sur-Alzette and Capellen (to which Kopstal belongs currently) and has 23 seats in parliament. The Centre constituency comprises the cantons of Luxembourg and Mersch, and has 21 seats in parliament.

Reuter said:

“Kopstal residents go to the doctor in the capital, work and go to school there. Most have friends in other centre communes. Many argue that they know the political candidates from the centre in parliamentary elections better than those from the South.”

However, the local referendum is consultative, meaning parliament is not obliged to change the laws on redistricting.

Reuter thinks parliament should recognise the results and take it into account, if it fell in favour of the change. At the local level, nothing would change, whether the commune was in the South or Centre.