{"id":"topics/luxembourgish-language","title":"The Luxembourgish language and integration","type":"topic","html":"

The place of the Luxembourgish language returns through the whole 2023–2028 legislature, from the ADR-requested topical hour on the Statec census figures in January 2024 to the debate on the public European schools in June 2026. The Chamber debated how many people speak the language, its status at European Union level, the language used in crèches and in the international school streams, the language requirements for civil servants, and the role of Luxembourgish as a language of integration. The quotes below are taken verbatim from the Compte rendu officiel of each sitting.

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CSV

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour on the number of Luxembourgish speakers in the Statec census study, Françoise Kemp rejected the previous speaker's dark reading of the situation of Luxembourgish.

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Mir gesinn d’Situatioun vum Lëtzebuergeschen net esou schwaarz wéi eise Virriedner.

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We do not see the situation of Luxembourgish as darkly as the previous speaker does.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Françoise Kemp, CSV

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On 3 December 2025, in the debate on bill 8587 on alphabetisation in French, Ricardo Marques stated that the reform leaves Luxembourgish as the language of integration.

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ALPHA ännert näischt dorunner, datt Lëtzebuergesch eis gemeinsam Sprooch vun der Integratioun bleift.

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ALPHA changes nothing about the fact that Luxembourgish remains our common language of integration.

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Sitting of 3 December 2025, Ricardo Marques, CSV

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DP

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On 22 October 2024, in the question time on the place of Luxembourgish at European Union level, Mandy Minella described the Luxembourgish language as part of national identity.

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D’Lëtzebuerger Sprooch ass e wichtegt Element vun eiser nationaler Identitéit. Si ass net nëmme Mëttel fir d’Kommunikatioun, mee dréit och derzou bäi, eis kulturell Eegenaarten ze erhalen an ze stäerken.

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The Luxembourgish language is an important element of our national identity. It is not only a means of communication, it also helps to preserve and strengthen our cultural particularities.

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Sitting of 22 October 2024, Mandy Minella, DP

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On 29 April 2026, in the debate on bill 8524 and the language requirements for specialised civil service staff, Gusty Graas urged caution about reducing the language requirements for state staff.

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Dowéinst musse mer hei awer och virsiichteg sinn, datt mer déi Compétences linguistiques net ze vill reduzéieren.

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That is why we must be careful here not to reduce the language requirements too much.

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Sitting of 29 April 2026, Gusty Graas, DP

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LSAP

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour on the number of Luxembourgish speakers in the Statec census study, Liz Braz criticised the use of the language for nationalist politics.

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Wat mir als LSAP awer a Fro stellen, ass, dass eis Sprooch vu vëlkeschem Gehabe benotzt gëtt, fir eng nationalistesch Politick wëllen ze promouvéieren.

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What we as the LSAP do question is that our language is used with folkish posturing to promote a nationalist policy.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Liz Braz, LSAP

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On 30 April 2026, in the interpellation on the integration of foreigners, Liz Braz criticised the reduction of integration policy to language and culture.

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Mee d’Integratioun op Sprooch a Kultur ze reduzéiere gräift ze kuerz.

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But reducing integration to language and culture falls short.

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Sitting of 30 April 2026, Liz Braz, LSAP

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ADR

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour his group requested on the number of Luxembourgish speakers, Fred Keup predicted a continued decline of Luxembourgish in public and daily life.

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Et wäert also ëmmer manner geschwat ginn an eis Sprooch wäert weider verschwanne respektiv verdrängt ginn aus dem ëffentleche Raum, aus dem Alldag.

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So it will be spoken less and less, and our language will keep disappearing, or being pushed out of public space and of daily life.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Fred Keup, ADR

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On 30 April 2026, in his interpellation on the integration of foreigners, Fred Keup stated that Luxembourgish must remain a central language of integration.

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A mir soen, datt Lëtzebuergesch zu Lëtzebuerg eng zentral Integratiounssprooch muss bleiwen.

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And we say that Luxembourgish must remain a central language of integration in Luxembourg.

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Sitting of 30 April 2026, Fred Keup, ADR

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déi gréng

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour on the number of Luxembourgish speakers in the Statec census study, Sam Tanson stated that other languages being spoken does not endanger Luxembourgish.

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Mir gesinn eis Sprooch awer net a Gefor, well nach aner Sprooche geschwat ginn.

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We do not, however, see our language as being in danger because other languages are also spoken.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Sam Tanson, déi gréng

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On 17 June 2026, in the debate on bill 8702 and Luxembourgish in the public European schools, Djuna Bernard welcomed a stronger place for Luxembourgish in international schools.

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Mir sinn awer frou ze gesinn, dass d’Lëtzebuergescht soll gestäerkt ginn an den internationale Schoulen.

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We are glad to see that Luxembourgish is to be strengthened in the international schools.

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Sitting of 17 June 2026, Djuna Bernard, déi gréng

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Piraten

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On 30 April 2026, in the interpellation on the integration of foreigners, Marc Goergen argued that Luxembourg must keep relying on English for the financial centre.

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Wa mer eis Finanzplaz wëlle weiderhi stäerken, wa mer weiderhi wëlle staark bleiwen als Land, muss Lëtzebuerg och weiderhin op d’Englescht setzen.

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If we want to keep strengthening our financial centre and stay strong as a country, Luxembourg must continue to rely on English.

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Sitting of 30 April 2026, Marc Goergen, Piraten

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On 17 June 2026, in the debate on bill 8702 and Luxembourgish in the public European schools, Sven Clement backed Luxembourgish as the integration language.

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Dat gesot, mengen ech, solle mer weiderhin op Lëtzebuergesch als Integratiounssprooch setzen. Dat ass e wichtegt Element fir den Zesummenhalt hei am Land, och an de Veräiner.

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That said, I think we should continue to rely on Luxembourgish as the integration language. It is an important element for cohesion in this country, in the clubs too.

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Sitting of 17 June 2026, Sven Clement, Piraten

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déi Lénk

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour on the number of Luxembourgish speakers in the Statec census study, Marc Baum disputed the title of the debate as not supported by the Statec study.

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Duerfir ass de Saz: „D’Zuel vun deenen, déi Lëtzebuergesch schwätzen“, objektiv falsch, well dat net aus dëser Etüd ervirgeet.

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That is why the phrase 'the number of those who speak Luxembourgish' is objectively wrong, because that does not follow from this study.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Marc Baum, déi Lénk

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Ministers

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On 30 January 2024, in the topical hour on the number of Luxembourgish speakers, the Minister of Culture called the Statec figures encouraging and gave the rise in the number of people with Luxembourgish as a main language between 2011 and 2021.

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Am Verglach zu 2011 kann een déi Statec-Zuelen duerchaus encourageant fannen. Hei geet déi absolutt Zuel vun 265.731 op 275.361 am Joer 2021 souguer ëm ronn 10.000 Leit erop.

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Compared with 2011, you can well find the Statec figures encouraging. Here the absolute number even rises by about 10,000 people, from 265,731 to 275,361 in 2021.

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Sitting of 30 January 2024, Eric Thill, Ministre de la Culture

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On 22 October 2024, in the question time on the place of Luxembourgish at European Union level, the Prime Minister argued that affection for the language should be kept apart from its practical use in Europe.

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An duerfir, mengen ech, solle mer déi Fro hei, déi intern Dimensioun an eis Léift zur Sprooch, net vermësche mat der Effikassitéit vun der Lëtzebuerger Sprooch op internationalem europäeschem Plang.

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And that is why I think we should not mix this question here, the internal dimension and our love of the language, with the effectiveness of the Luxembourgish language at international and European level.

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Sitting of 22 October 2024, Luc Frieden, Premier ministre

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On 17 June 2026, in the debate on bill 8702 and Luxembourgish in the public European schools, the Minister of National Education, Children and Youth spoke about the home languages of the population.

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A mir wëssen, datt e groussen Deel vun eiser Populatioun doheem net Däitsch oder Lëtzebuergesch schwätzt.

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And we know that a large part of our population does not speak German or Luxembourgish at home.

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Sitting of 17 June 2026, Claude Meisch, Ministre de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse

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