Oldal 2 [2]
XeAe2, for November 52,
- page two ¬
The minister of social affairs is Mr.Biever, a former worker and self¬
made mane He has made his political career through the Labor Unions
and is said to have reached now the highest position he can ever hope
to achieve. The forceful figure of the Party, who is generally consider
as the coming socialist man and equals now MreBodson in practical es
influence, is MreRasquin, minister of economic affairs. <A lawyer and
up to now chief editor of the socialist daily the "Escher Tagblatt",
Mr Rasqvin is the brain of the Party and its most powerful representa=
tives He is the representative of the socialist left wing, which does
not mean however a danger of an open split within the Party or of any
goalition with the communistic element, The differences are more a
question of personal frictions, of ambitions and of policies, remaining
strictly within the framework of the socialist groupe
The socialist Party draws its strongest support from its Labor Unions,
which also raises the necessary funds for the political action and thé
Party publications, A large number of small public employess also
vote socialist, in spite of the fact that they live in comfortable
suburbs and thet their living standards are very satisfactory.
The liberals, calling themselves the party of the resistance,
enjoyed a certain prestige right after the ware Since then they have
lost any votes, hold only one fifth of the seats in Parliament and are
not represented in the govermmental coalitions In opposition to the
Christain party, their campaign has sometimes taken an anti-clerical
flavor, disanpynved of by many of their previous supporterse In spite
of this fact, certain bhaberal party leaders ~ Mr Mamx Wehrer now a
representative in the Coal-Steel Pool, and MreHamelius the mayor of
Luxembourg City - are versonally moderate and liberals in the true
~ “The communists are a small minority that is constantly losing
in popular supporte They have not even 10% in Parliament and are not
becked by the Labor Unions which - in greatést majority < are socialist:
Lately the communists have tried to arouse interest, by starting a
peace campaign and ealling up for a general strike. Both projects hare
ended with vtter failureée
General elections are held every three years and replace half
the seats in Parliament, The last elections were held a year and a half
ago. Although it was the more conservative part of the country that
yoted - the rural North and the city of Luxembourg ~ it ended with a
socialist gain. The main reason for this unexpected result was a
lasteminute's change in tax regulations which aroused the farmers*
opposition against the Christian Party government and the vote of the
city svburbe and of its publie employee populatione
The next eleetions will be held in somewhat over a Yeats It is generall
expected that they will bring a socialist majority - for the first
time in the last quarter of a eenturye Since the next elections will
be held in the so@ialist strongholds - the mining and industrial
districts - it is expected that the Christians will lose their majority;
which is only of two seats, unless they are able to make a sizabhe
gain on behalf of the liberals, However the socialists in turn, might
gain on the communists, if the present trends continues
In case of a goverrmental change, as a result of socialist majority
it is expected that either MreBodson, or more likely still Mr.Rasquin
will take over the Premiership and may-be combine it with the =—
affairs, From the Evronean angle it would mean that Mr.eBech - who 18
a