Every 5 years, all Luxembourg citizens who are registered voters directly elect the 60 members of the Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des députés). The Chamber of Deputies is the national Parliament in the Luxembourg unicameral system.

In principle, legislative elections take place on the same day and the same month as the previous legislative elections. If that day is not a Sunday, the elections are moved to the Sunday preceding the day in question.

Voting is mandatory and voters may not be represented by proxy. The voting takes place by secret ballot.

Status as a voter is attested by registration on the electoral rolls. Electoral rolls are permanent, but removals and new registrations may take place:

• until the 44^th day before the legislative elections;
• due to a change in voters' electoral residence;
• due to a correction by the administrative courts.

Who is concerned

Voters have the option of postal vote. Those who are unable to take part in the vote by post or by going to the polling station must indicate their reason for abstention to the State Prosecutor.

The following are exempt from mandatory voting:

• voters who, at the time of the election, live in a commune other than the one in which they are called to vote;
• voters who are over 75 years of age.

Prerequisites

To qualify as a voter in the legislative elections, one must:

• be of Luxembourgish nationality;
• be at least 18 years of age on the day of the election;
• possess full civil and political rights;
• reside in Luxembourg. Luxembourgish citizens residing abroad may vote in the legislative elections by postal vote.

The following persons are excluded from the electorate and are not allowed to vote:

• people who have been convicted of criminal offences;
• people who, for lesser offences, have been deprived of the right to vote by their sentences;
• adults under guardianship.

How to proceed

The election system

The country is divided into 4 electoral districts:

• the South, comprising the cantons of Esch-sur-Alzette and Capellen;
• the East, comprising the cantons of Grevenmacher, Remich, and Echternach;
• the Centre, comprising the cantons of Luxembourg and Mersch;
• the North, comprising the cantons of Diekirch, Redange, Wiltz, Clervaux, and Vianden.

There are 60 deputies in total:

• 23 deputies to the Southern district;
• 7 deputies to the Eastern district;
• 21 deputies to the Central district;
• 9 deputies to the Northern district.

Deputies are elected for a term of 5 years. The elections are direct: The 60 deputies are elected using the list system (party list).

The ballot is secret. Each voter has as many votes as there are deputies to be elected in their district. Votes may be cast for list or for individual candidates.

Electors who vote for a list may not cast any additional votes, subject to cancellation of their ballot, unless the list chosen includes fewer candidates than there are deputies to be elected in the district. Electors who vote for individual candidates may chose candidates from the same list or from different lists, but must take care not to vote for more candidates than there are available seats.

The 60 seats are divided among the lists in proportion to the total number of votes for a list (the rule of proportional representation) and of the individual votes received by each list (the principle of the smallest electoral quotient). The system of proportional representation ensures equitable representation to the minority, with seats allocated among the different candidate lists in proportion to the number of votes that they receive.

Registering as a Luxembourgish voter

Status as a voter is attested by registration on the electoral rolls.

Electoral rolls are maintained by the communal administration, in particular using declarations of births and declarations of arrival of residents in the commune. In case of a move to another commune, whatever the period of the year, the transfer of voting rights to the new commune is mandatory and is performed automatically by the communal administrations.

Throughout the year, each commune continuously updates the list of Luxembourg citizens called to participate in the elections. It maintains and registers on the electoral roll, on its own initiative or at the request of any Luxembourgish citizen, those who satisfy the eligibility requirements and are domiciled in the commune.

In the case of a full or partial renewal of the Chamber of Deputies, the age and residency requirements must be met on the day of the legislative elections.

Registration on the electoral rolls is automatic:

• on the official roll, for persons reaching the age of 18 before the provisional closing of the roll;
• on the secondary roll, for persons reaching the age of 18 between the provisional closing of the roll (the 55^th day prior to the election) and the date of the election, inclusive.

Revision of electoral rolls and claims

On the 54^th day prior to the election, the filing of the provisional lists prepared by the commune is made public. Citizens then have until the 47^th day prior to the election, at the latest, to submit, in writing, any individual claims they may have to the board of the mayor and aldermen.

Citizens who have not yet reached the age of 18 by the date the provisional rolls are filed, but who have the right to participate in the election, must submit any claims they may have to the board of the mayor and aldermen through their respective legal guardians.

The rolls are definitively closed on the 44^th day prior to the election.

If, while reviewing the provisional registers, the commune removes the names of voters who had been included on the provisional registers, the voters concerned will be informed:

• by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt; and
• at their home.

They will be informed in this way no later than 48 hours from the publishing of the lists.

The reasons for the removal are mentioned in the letter.

Any person who is improperly registered, omitted or removed from the electoral rolls may exercise their right to appeal to the administrative tribunal for a reversal.

Notice of election

A poll card is sent by the communal administration to each voter at least 5 days in advance indicating:

• the date;
• the start and end times of the voting;
• the location of the polling station;
• if there are multiple polling stations, the designation of the one where the voter is called to vote.

The poll card contains instructions for the voter as well as the list of candidates.

A voter who shows up without one of these documents may be admitted to vote if his or her identity and capacity are recognized by the members of the polling station.

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