Formation of the government

In general, the day following the elections, the members of the outgoing government gather for a final meeting of the Government Council. After this session, the Prime Minister is received in audience by the Grand Duke at the Grand Ducal Palace. As is customary, the Prime Minister hands in his/her resignation as well as that of the outgoing government to the head of state.

On this occasion, the Grand Duke asks the government to remain in office until a new government is formed, and instructs it, in accordance with the Constitution, to continue to oversee general policy.

In the first days following the elections, the Grand Duke, after having successively welcomed in a consultation hearing the President of the outgoing Chamber of Deputies, the President of the Council of State as well as a representative from each list sitting in the future Parliament, chooses his Prime Minister.

Although the Constitution allows the Grand Duke great freedom to choose his ministers, according to custom, the Grand Duke only chooses the Prime Minister, either after appointing an 'informateur', or after having directly appointed a 'formateur' who will take care to put together a government that will win the support of the parliamentary majority.

If none of the political parties represented in the Chamber has an absolute majority, a coalition government is formed. The political parties to be represented in the government agree on a common government programme and on the distribution of ministerial departments during negotiations. Subsequently a coalition agreement is signed by the government 'formateur' (the future Prime Minister) and the presidents of the political formations that constitute the new government.

When the negotiations to form a new government are complete, the future Prime Minister is received by the Grand Duke, to whom he/she reports, in his/her capacity as 'formateur', the conclusion of the task entrusted to him/her.

The Grand Duke approves the candidates presented by the future Prime Minister and swears in the Prime Minister as well as the members of the new government.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister presents the Government's programme in a declaration to the Chamber of Deputies. Thereafter, the latter is invited to vote on the question of confidence set forth by the Prime Minister regarding the Government programme.