"I don't want to swap"

Claude Wiseler is a popular man who is respected and appreciated by all parties in his (no longer quite so) new role as President of Parliament, as we have discovered in recent weeks during our discussions with the parliamentary group leaders. The interview with the CSV politician takes place in his presidential office, and the view of the "Krautmaart" (rue du Marché aux Herbes) is breathtaking.

Lëtzebuerger Journal: As the so-called First Citizen of the country, you are at the very top in terms of protocol, but politically you are probably just a figurehead, or are we wrong?

Claude Wiseler: That wasn't a question, but a statement (laughs). Of course, I don't agree with that statement.

A parliamentary president has to be politically neutral. As a long-standing CSV President, CSV Secretary General, CSV Group Leader and CSV Minister, that's certainly not easy.

To be honest, after all these years in politics, neutrality was actually not easy for me at first. But I can't and don't want to intervene in current political affairs. However, it can be part of the mission of a Chamber President to put various items on the agenda that are not necessarily part of day-to-day politics.

Can you give us an example?

Unfortunately, no. I don't want to reveal more details until the parliamentary rentrée. My aim is to address problems and issues that are important for society, regardless of the political topicality of the day. As President of Parliament, you get the necessary hearing.

You also want to open up parliament further. In the former Maison de l'Europe on the "Krautmaart", you are apparently planning to open a kind of information centre for the Chamber.

We want to change quite a few things about the way Parliament works. The first steps have already been taken, for example with regard to the transparency of the commissions or the shortening of speaking times. In order to make the Chamber even more open, a centre is actually to be created in the former Maison de l'Europe, probably next year. This centre will provide visitors with information about the Chamber. All kinds of parliamentary gadgets will also be sold here …

… with the President's likeness?

I don't think that would be a big seller.