“The public authorities are claiming a road tax for vehicles but prohibit circulation during curfew hours, thus depriving citizens of the right of circulation that they have acquired through this tax,” the petition author writes.

A curfew has been in place in Luxembourg since November from 11pm until 6am, although it was extended to 9pm over the end-of-year holiday period. The restriction could be lifted mid-May as the government has pledged to review measures taken to combat covid-19 should infection numbers and hospitalisations remain stable.

Road users specifically pay the vehicles tax to be allowed to drive their car and are reimbursed, for example when deregistering the vehicle. “It only makes sense to extend this principle to compulsory decommissioning during curfew hours,” the petition states.

The document is available for signature online.

It went public on 23 April together with five other petitions, calling for parking permits for people with offices in residential areas, public health insurance for pets, transparent masks for primary school pupils and teachers to facilitate communication, limiting maximum speed to 30km/h in shared spaces, and holding national elections.

Once a petition received 4,500 signatures it must be debated by members of parliament together with the relevant government ministers and the petitioners. Anyone aged 15 or over with a Luxembourg social security number can sign a petition online.