Jean Asselborn was born on 27 April 1949 in Steinfort.
Education and qualifications
After leaving school at the age of 18, Jean Asselborn resumed his studies in 1976 by attending evening classes. He obtained his final secondary school diploma from the Athénée de Luxembourg the same year.
In October 1981, Jean Asselborn was awarded a master’s degree in private judicial law from the University Nancy II.
Governmental posts
Following the legislative elections of 13 June 2004, Jean Asselborn joined the government as Deputy Prime Minister and as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration on 31 July 2004.
Upon the continuation of the coalition government formed by the Christian Social Party (CSV) and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) after the legislative elections of 7 June 2009, Jean Asselborn retained the offices of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2009.
In October 2012, at his instigation, Luxembourg was, for the first time, elected to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2013 and 2014.
Following the legislative elections of 20 October 2013, Jean Asselborn was appointed Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum on 4 December 2013 in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party (DP), the LSAP and the Green Party (déi gréng).
After the legislative elections of 14 October 2018, Jean Asselborn was appointed Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum on 5 December 2018 in the coalition government formed by the DP, the LSAP and déi gréng.
As of July 2004, Jean Asselborn represents the Luxembourg government in the Council configurations "Foreign Affairs" and "General Affairs" of the Council of the European Union. Jean Asselborn is currently the longest-serving minister among the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union.
Other political posts
A member of the LSAP since 1972, Jean Asselborn was the mayor of the municipality of Steinfort from 1982 to 2004.
At national level, Jean Asselborn was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1984 as candidate for the LSAP in the constituency of the South. He served as a Member of Parliament until 2004. He assumed the role of chairman of the LSAP parliamentary group from 1989 to 1997, as well as the responsibility of vice-president of Parliament from 1999 to 2004.
Jean Asselborn also chaired the LSAP from 1997 to 2004.
In addition to his parliamentary mandate, Jean Asselborn was a member of the European Committee of the Regions from 1999 to 2004.
He also served as vice president of the Party of European Socialists from 2000 to 2004.
Professional activities
Jean Asselborn launched his professional career in a Uniroyal laboratory in 1967. During this time, he became actively involved in the trade union movement and was elected youth representative of the Federation of Luxembourg Workers (Lëtzebuerger Aarbechterverband), the precursor to the current OGBL trade union.
In 1968, Jean Asselborn joined the municipal administration of the City of Luxembourg, but he returned to Steinfort in 1969, also to work as a civil servant.
Upon obtaining his final secondary school diploma, Jean Asselborn became the administrator of the Intercommunal Hospital of Steinfort (Hôpital intercommunal de Steinfort) in 1976, a position he held until 2004.
Honorary distinctions
In December 2010, Jean Asselborn was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Großkreuz des Verdienstordens) of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In October 2013, he was appointed Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (ordre national de la Légion d’honneur) of the French Republic.