Politics

Conservative Party in Luxembourg — Déi Konservativ (DK)

In this article, we will take a closer look at the Conservative Party of Luxembourg, analyzing its structure, leadership, current political stance on key issues and historical evolution.

Table of content

The Conservatives, or déi Konservativ in Luxembourgish, emerged as a conservative political force in Luxembourg in 2017 under the leadership of Joe Thein. The roots of the party can be traced back to his departure from the ADR. Thein himself agreed with about 90 percent of the ADR platform. The party strikes a balance between socialism, traditionalism, and liberalism, as stated by representative Roy Holzem. While the party's platform gravitates towards centrism, it occasionally leans center-right in some areas and center-left in others.

Conservativе party at a glance

This party represents one of the newest entrants into Luxembourg's political landscape. In their inaugural participation in the 2018 legislative elections, the party yielded minimal success, failing to secure any parliamentary seats due to a notably low vote share.

Joe Thein, the party's founder, emphasizes the rejection of extremist ideologies within the party's ranks, solidifying its status as a staunch defender of conservative principles without going to extremes.

Elections

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Leaders

Political Guide

Structure and representativeness

The Conservatives do not disclose the exact number of their members, at its origins, at its origins, it had between 30 and 50 members, in May 2019 it had around 150 and it is likely to have a few more now but it is evident that the party remains relatively modest in size. This assessment is based on its recent inception and the notably modest performance in the preceding elections, where it garnered a mere 9,516 votes, constituting only 0.27% of the electorate.

The inner life of a party

The party is led by its founder and president, Joe Thein, and internally is organized into national bodies and local structures.

National Congress

Convened annually, this assembly is pivotal in electing the national president, vice president, secretary general, and treasurer general. It also serves as the forum for decisions concerning statutes, the basic program, the electoral platform, and overarching party strategies or projects.

National Committee

Comprising the top leadership (national president, vice president, secretary general, and treasurer general), along with holders of mandates at local, national, or international levels (such as deputies, mayors, councilors, municipal councilors, and delegates), the National Committee assumes responsibility for the political and administrative direction of the party. It serves as a platform for regular discussions on the current political landscape and aids in the decision-making process regarding major party initiatives.

Executive Committee

This body executes the directives of the National Committee. Comprising party leaders, district presidents, and representatives at various levels, its tasks encompass the implementation of decisions made by the National Committee, coordination of all party organizations, execution of political strategies and projects, and the management of the party's organization and functioning.

Local sections

These segments play a crucial role in grassroots organization, overseeing political activities and meetings, active participation in local politics, involvement in local elections, recruitment of new members, and the dissemination of the party's core ideologies. Through these local units, The Conservatives establish a strong presence at the community level, fostering direct engagement with constituents and promoting their political ideals.

Electoral system divides the country into four constituencies. The number of seats allocated to each constituency is proportional to its population

seats in the South

seats in the Center

seats in the North

seats in the East

People and influence in the party

Key personnel profiles

Together, this central leadership group molds the party's policies and overall approach. Nevertheless, here's a breakdown of notable individuals associated with the party across various fields of action.

Leaders of the party

Joe Thein

At the helm of The Conservative Party is its founder, Joe Thein, who serves as the party's president. He used to work as a flight attendant in Luxair before joining ADR at the age of 16 years old. He was in the party from 2008 to 2017, and was expelled for a controversy like in social media before founding the new party — dei Konservative.

Roy Holzem

Although Roy Holzem is a first-time candidate, Luxembourg media mention him on a par with the party leader Joe Thein.

Carmen Rubino

South consistuency party member and election candidate

Theo Koch

Party member and prominent election candidate

As of the party's limited electoral history and its absence from the current coalition government, The Conservative Party does not have any members serving as ministers in the current government.

The Conservative Party did not secure any seats in the Chamber of Deputies during the 2018 elections. However, it's worth noting that the party has fielded candidates for upcoming elections in various constituencies, demonstrating its commitment to democratic participation.

There are 705 seats in the European Parliament.

These seats are divided among member countries based on their population size.

6 seats

are granted to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in the European Parliament

96 seats

are held by Germany, the most populous EU state, and the neighbor of the GDL

Following the European elections in 2019, The Conservative Party did not manage to secure any of the six available seats in the European Parliament.

The Conservative current political stance

The Conservative Party positions itself firmly on the right side of the political spectrum, more precisely, they claim to stand in the middle of a leftist CSV and a right-wing ADR. They avoid extremism while championing conservative and patriotic values, as articulated by its founder, Joe Thein. The party adheres to a vision that encompasses several key social and political areas.

The party and its cornerstones

Dei Konservativ party has several people-centric initiatives, that descripbe their political agenda for 2023 General Elections. For your convinience, we have collect them below.

Party views visualization

Theins Luxembourg politics mother joe thein

Joe&amp;amp;nbsp;Thein and Chantal Thein. Photo from the party Facebook page.&amp;amp;nbsp;

The Conservatives ardently support Luxembourg's constitutional parliamentary monarchy

State structure

The party advocates for the independence of political parties and the media.

Luxembourg identity

Advocate for the right to Luxembourgish citizenship after the integration.

Sovereignty and foreign policies

The party promotes international partnerships, focusing on delicate issues and protection of global minority rights.

Social welfare

The party supports a fair and livable minimum wage, unemployment benefits, and a minimum income guarantee.

They advocate for a liberal rule of law, inclusive of direct democracy while emphasizing the importance of sovereignty by limiting legislative voting rights to Luxembourgers. Right to Luxembourgish citizenship after successful integration, emphasizing linguistic, cultural, and institutional education are also one of the core arguments.

Healthcare

The party is ethically opposed to euthanasia and abortion and advocate for state protection of life.

Pension and taxation

The party is committed to pension justice, recognizing potential threats to the welfare state's sustainability.

Human rights

The Conservatives uphold universal human rights, emphasizing equality before the law and justice for all while preserving individuality.

Security

The party prioritizes security and order, ensuring peace, stability, and legal certainty against internal and external threats, crime, violence, and extremism.

Sustainability guides the party's environmental policy, with a strong focus on preserving nature, reducing pollution, renewable energy, and ethical climate lobbying.

Education

The party recognizes the state's role in promoting values, focusing on ethical community-building within educational environments.

Economy

Conservatives emphasize a classic liberal and socially responsible market and support small and medium-sized enterprises, craftsmen, property rights, and innovation while promoting free trade.

Family

The Conservatives view the family as the cornerstone of society, defining it as a community of love between two adults, whether in traditional or same-sex unions.

The party envisions an ideal Europe of nations and seeks radical reform of the EU. The Conservatives areemphasizing the return of significant national competencies to sovereign nations and advocating for non-rescue principles. They support a common European defense policy and NATO membership, demanding national sovereignty in decisions related to foreign conflicts.

Political program

While The Conservative Party does not have a fully articulated election program, they have offered glimpses of their agenda through videos, media statements, and their core values outlined in the previous section.

Population

Economy and finances

Climate

Security

Party representation

While The Conservative Party has yet to establish a concrete electoral track record, it is possible to glean insights into the demographic groups that might align with the party's principles based on its roots and professed ideologies.

Electorate demographics

Even though the party is new, it is popular among various parts of the society

Government workers

Salaried employees

Older voters

The origins of The Conservative Party can be traced back to Joe Thein's split from the ADR, suggesting a deep ideological kinship with his previous party. Thein has acknowledged that he concurs with roughly 90% of the ADR's platform. However, the ADR is perceived as a right-wing populist party, a label from which The Conservatives are eager to differentiate themselves.

Photo from Dei Konservativ Facebook page

As such, The Conservative Party likely draws support from a portion of the population with similar leanings, namely a traditional and predominantly right-leaning demographic. Historical voters from other parties may align with The Conservative Party's programmatic proposals, making it a potential choice for a broader spectrum of voters seeking conservative alternatives.

The Conservative party in comparison

	ConservativesLSAP	CSV	Greens
Environment	Low	Low	Low	High
Electorate	Older	Older	Older	Young
Trade unions	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Secularism	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

The Conservative’s office is located in Pétange

Office location: 3 Rue Op den Gehren, Pétange
Phone number: (+352) 1 23 45 67 89
Official website: deikonservativ.eu

Brief history of the party

The Conservative Party of Luxembourg is young but fast growing.

Roots of the party

Photo from the party Facebook page

March 21, 2017: The Conservative Party was officially founded by Joe Thein shortly after his expulsion from the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) due to various controversies.
April 10, 2017: An extraordinary national congress was held, during which the party's statutes and basic program were adopted. The party committee was also elected, with Joe Thein becoming the national president.
2017 Communal Elections: The party participated for the first time, contesting only in the municipality of Pétange. However, they did not secure any seats, receiving 2.40% of the vote.
January 2018: The party reached approximately 100 members.
2018 General Election: The party made its debut in the Sud district but failed to win any seats, receiving just 0.52% of the vote.
2019 European Parliament Election: The Conservative Party contested nationwide for the first time in the European Parliament elections but did not secure any seats, garnering 0.53% of the vote.
June 11, 2023, Municipal Elections: The party expanded its presence, participating in Pétange and Differdange, where they achieved a result close to 2% of the votes.