Editorial - The crisis behind the crisis

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Sometimes you can't help but get the impression that Luxembourg likes to indulge in illusions.

The Grand Duchy likes to present itself as a country of diversity and many languages, but struggles with coexistence and participation.

It prides itself on its green capital and rural character, but its habitats, animals and plants are in a poor state.

It attaches great importance to political stability and its political consensus model, but when it comes to social dialogue… well, that is more than clear after the past months, weeks and, above all, the political speeches on 1 May.

While the "forces vives" are working flat out to prepare for the tripartite dialogue, it is now questionable whether one topic will be on the agenda: the housing crisis. The more that ends up on the agenda of the first round, which has been brought forward to 12 May, the less likely a compromise seems – let alone a consensus.

However, unlike with the pension reform, it would now be important for the social partners not only to agree on a joint stocktaking, but also to reach an agreement that can be supported by all sides.

The trade unions (at least those in the private sector) have made it clear that, in their view, this is the tripartite of "last resort" in order to preserve the Luxembourg model, as LCGB National President Patrick Dury recently put it. It can be assumed that the government has heard the warning shot.

But one thing is clear: whether the social partners are talking about inflation and purchasing power or about the minimum wage, homelessness, social rehabilitation or living together. At the end of every socio-political discussion in Luxembourg, there is always one topic that seems like an insurmountable obstacle: housing.