An extraordinary meeting of the Green party is planned for 5 June to confirm the nomination, so that Turmes can be sworn in to the post before National Day on 23 June. Turmes, who has focused particularly on energy policy during his 19 years as an MEP, said he saw it as his responsibility to take over Gira’s mission. “Camille always played the ball, and never the man or the woman,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday morning. “And I will do the same.”

In a blog post on Tuesday, Turmes paid tribute to Gira, who he said mentored him in “Green party politics” and encouraged him to run for the Greensin Luxembourg in the 1999 European elections.

He stressed that he is not “leaving EU policy making”, rather now “sitting on the other side of the table”.

“See you soon, on CO2 and cars, CO2 and trucks, dieselgate, maybe already in the ENVI Council of 25 June.”

Green party president Christian Kmiotek also announced that Turmes will lead the Green list in the North constituency at October’s national parliamentary elections.  Tilly Metz will succeed Turmes in the European Parliament.