Chamber of Deputies

Luxembourg's parliament, known as the Chambre des députés (Chamber of Deputies) represents the country. The Chamber of Deputies exercises legislative power.

The operation of the Chamber is governed by a certain number of provisions contained in the Constitution and in the rules of procedure, drafted by the Chamber itself.

The Chamber is composed of 60 deputies elected for five years via direct universal suffrage. Every Luxembourg citizen who satisfies the conditions set out by law is entitled to participate in the election of the deputies.

The main function of the Chamber is to vote on government and parliament bills.

Members of the Chamber have the right to initiate legislation by tabling parliament bills (proposition de loi). The Chamber examines and discusses the government bills or parliament bills submitted to it. It approves or rejects them by taking a vote.

The Chamber sits in Luxembourg City and its sessions are public. It may only make a resolution if the majority of its members is present. The Chamber may request the presence of members of the government at its public sessions.

Regarding international affairs, the agreement of the Chamber is required for a treaty to take effect in the territory of the Grand Duchy.

The Chamber's rules of procedure recognise the right of Members of Parliament to form political or technical groups. In order to be recognised as such, a group must include at least five members.

The Constitution guarantees Members of Parliament parliamentary immunity. No civil or criminal action may be brought against a Member of Parliament with respect to the opinions and votes cast in the performance of his/her duties.

The Constitution gives the Chamber of Deputies a series of means by which it may exert control over the government, the executive power.

The Chamber's control is exerted both in financial matters and in political and administrative matters. In financial matters, the Chamber's control over the government consists in the annual vote to approve the budget, the right to approve each year the state's accounts and a certain amount of surveillance carried out over the management of public assets.

The Chamber of Deputies also plays an important role in the nomination of members of the Council of State and the Court of Auditors.

It also has the role of guiding political debate, either on its own initiative or at the government's request.