On Tuesday night, AmCham Luxembourg, with the support of Amazon, organized a highly anticipated political panel event, drawing a sold-out crowd of 130 attendees.
The event, moderated by Mr. Italo di Lorenzo, provided a platform for candidates from Luxembourg’s leading political parties to discuss key issues ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections.
The opening remarks and welcome greetings were given by AmCham Chairman & CEO Paul Schonenberg, after which, Italo di Lorenzo introduced the panel speakers: Christophe Hansen, (CSV) Member of the national Parliament; Marc Angel, (LSAP) Vice President European Parliament; Sven Clement, (Piraten) party President ; Christos Floros, (DP) Candidate for European Deputy ; Fernand Kartheiser, (ARD) Chamber of Deputies and François Bausch, Member of Parliament and former Minister of Transport and Defense (DéiGréng)
The panel kicked off with an insightful discussion on four main topics:
1. Please give our audience the 3-5 most important reasons they should vote for your party
2. If your party is given a mandate to the EU Parliament in this coming election, which political group will you be aligned with? What are the key objectives of that group for the mandate period and (…) how are those objectives aligned with the best intertest of Luxembourg?
3. The EU economy is running slow and yet we are still not reaping the full benefits of the Single Market due to diverging application of rules and red tape within the EU, as the recent Letta report demonstrates. Is this a priority action area for you?
4. New influence areas are being drawn geopolitically and we are seeing a trend to end globalization as we know it. Are you in favor or against protectionist measures? How do you plan to make the EU more competitive on the world stage?
The panel concluded with closing remarks from Paul Schonenberg emphasizing the importance for everyone being eligible to vote, to do so on Sunday in order to support Europe. After which, he thanked the speakers for their contributions and the audience for their active participation.The evening provided a valuable opportunity for the public to engage directly with the candidates and gain a deeper understanding of their platforms. As the European Parliament elections approach, events like these are crucial in fostering informed and active citizenship.
Following the talk, guests and panel speakers from all political parties were invited to join a networking cocktail to exchange their views and open questions.
The mandate for the elected members of the European Parliament will last five years, making this election particularly significant for Luxembourg and its representation in the EU.
