A Eurobarometer survey conducted in May and published on 24 October found that Luxembourg bucked the EU average trend when it came to how recruiters discriminate against candidates. When faced with two candidates of equal experience and qualifications, 55% of Luxembourg respondents said said they believed personal presentation would be the deciding factor, compared to a 48% EU average.

For all other criteria, proportionately fewer Luxembourg respondents considered they were as influential as the EU average response.

Workplace diversity

When it came to diversity promotion, perceptions appear to suggest Luxembourg workplaces are making a greater effort than across the EU.

The difference was particularly marked when it came to promoting diversity in skin colour (71% in Luxembourg compared to the EU average of 58%), sexual orientation (59% compared to 50%), ethnic origin (66% compared to 56%), and age (66% compared to 56%).

Perception of the promotion of intersexual diversity in the workplace was lower in Luxembourg than the EU average.

Minorities in politics

When asked how they would feel having a minority in a political position, respondents appeared to show greater acceptance of difference in Luxembourg, compared to the EU average. The shift was particularly marked when it came to having a gay, lesbian or bisexual person in power. Here, 89% of Luxembourg respondents said they felt comfortable, compared to 77% across the EU.

Luxembourg has had an openly gay prime minister and deputy prime minister since 2013 and a politmonitor survey published on Thursday placed the prime minister at number 2 in the “sympathy” ranking. Respondents were, however, least at ease with having a Roma in politics, with 65% saying they felt comfortable, a figure echoed in the EU average.

General discrimination

The survey found the most-widespread kind of discrimination in the country was thought to be directed at Roma people, a view shared by four out of ten respondents, compared with six out of ten across the EU.

Other kinds of discrimination assessed in the survey included ethnic origin, skin colour, sexual orientation, being transgender, religion, disability, ageism, sex and gender. In all categories, Luxembourg perceived a lower level of discrimination than the EU average, in some instances the level was less than half that of the EU average.