Clowns and superficial: Esperanza's mayor spoke out against the opposition

In Hesperange, tensions are rising in the local council after an internal email from the mayor, Marc Lies, was leaked to the press. In the email, addressed to colleagues in the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), Lies made some harsh remarks about opposition MPs.

Green Party (Déi Gréng) councillor Stephen de Ron and Luxembourg Socialist Workers Party (LSAP) member Mathis Godefroid openly criticised the mayor. In a letter, Lees called de Ron a "clown" who "talks rubbish", while Godefroid accused him of being "more suited to a party focused on image and superficiality".

De Roon, a lawyer by profession, called these words "unprofessional, disrespectful and unworthy" of a man who holds the office of mayor and deputy. He was even more outraged by the accusation of disclosing classified information of the municipal council, which he categorically rejected as lies and deliberate slander.

In response to questions from journalists, Marc Lees admitted he could have put it differently, but said he was "very upset" at the time he wrote the letter. He said de Ron and Godefroy were spreading "false information" and he just wanted to make CSV colleagues aware that the upcoming council session should be based on facts.

Fox also denied the allegations of public defamation, emphasising that he does not engage in such a thing and has not done so in the past. However, he complained about the harassment directed at him over the past seven months.

Fox had earlier in January announced a two-month political break, but admitted that this "holiday" had proved pointless amid new scandals. He returned to duty this week but said he was frustrated by leaks of confidential documents, the second time in seven months.

It remains to be seen whether the conflict will affect the future work of the municipal council. De Roon is demanding an official apology and CSV is promising an internal inquiry into the leak. The political tension in Esperança is clearly not abating.