View source for Flag of Luxembourg

{{short description|none}}
{{Not to be confused with|text=the [[Flag of the Netherlands]]}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
| Image = Flag of Luxembourg.svg
| Alt = 
| Noborder = 
| Nickname = Rout-Wäiss-Blo ("Red-White-Blue")
| Morenicks = 
| Use = 111000
| Symbol = {{FIAV|111000}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion = 3:5
| Adoption = 1848 (''de facto'')<br>1993 (''de jure'')
| Design = A horizontal [[triband (flag)|triband]] of red, white and light blue
| Designer = 
| Image2 = Flag of Luxembourg wide.svg
| Alt2 = 
| Noborder2 = 
| Nickname2 = 
| Morenicks2 = 
| Use2 = 111000
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|111000}} {{FIAV|alternate}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion2 = 1:2
| Adoption2 = 
| Design2 = A horizontal [[triband (flag)|triband]] of red, white and light blue, only in 1:2 ratio.
| Designer2 = 
| Image3 = Civil Ensign of Luxembourg.svg
| Alt3 = 
| Noborder3 = 
| Nickname3 = Civil ensign of Luxembourg
| Morenicks3 = Roude Liéw
| Use3 = 100100
| Symbol3 = {{FIAV|100100}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion3 = 1:2 or 3:5 (civil) and 5:7 (ensign)
| Adoption3 = 
| Design3 = Ten alternating stripes of white and light blue, with a red lion taken from the coat of arms superimposed on the center.
| Designer3 = 
}}
[[File:Luxembourg, drapeau national (100).jpg|thumb|Luxembourg flag]]
The [[national flag]] of [[Luxembourg]]{{efn|{{langx|lb|Lëtzebuerger Fändel}}; {{langx|de|Flagge Luxemburgs}}; {{langx|fr|Drapeau du Luxembourg}}}} consists of three horizontal stripes,  watermelon red, white and light blue, and can be in 1:2 or 3:5 ratio. It was first used between 1845 and 1848 and officially adopted in 1993. It is informally called in the country: ''«Rout-Wäiss-Blo»'' ("Red-White-Blue").<ref>{{Cite web
 |title=Rout Wäiss Blo
 |website=Letzshop
 |date=2023-06-21
 |url=https://news.letzshop.lu/en/trends/rout-waiss-blo-2/
 |access-date=2025-12-28
 |language=en
}}</ref>

Luxembourg had no flag until 1830, when patriots were urged to display the national colours. The flag was defined as a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue in 1848, but it was not officially adopted until 1993. The tricolour flag of Luxembourg is graphically almost identical to the [[flag of the Netherlands]], except that it is longer and its light blue stripe and red stripe are a lighter shade.  The red, white, and light blue colours were derived from the coat of arms of the [[House of Luxembourg]].

==History==
The colours of the flag of Luxembourg were first adopted around 1830 during the [[Belgian Revolution]].{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} They were probably derived from the [[Coat of arms of Luxembourg|coat of arms]] of the [[County of Luxembourg|County]] and later [[Duchy of Luxemburg|Duchy]] of Luxembourg,  which in turn was derived from the combination of the [[Lion (heraldry)|lion]] of the [[Duchy of Limburg|dukes of Limbourg]] and the supposed striped [[banner]] of the early counts of Luxembourg.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} The three-coloured horizontal design was fixed on 12 June 1845.

It took until 1993 before a law was passed regulating the flag of Luxembourg. The same law also prescribed ensign and roundel for aircraft and ships registered in Luxembourg.

One important clarification brought by this law was that the color blue was defined as being a bright blue, in contrast to the [[flag of the Netherlands]] (exactly the same design, but the Dutch flag uses dark blue and a less [[Rectangle|oblong]] shape).

The [[heraldry|heraldic]] [[blazon]] for the flag is ''per fess Gules and Azure, a fess Argent''.{{cn|date=August 2023}}

==Ensign==
{{Main|Roude Léiw}}
The Red Lion ({{langx|lb|Roude Léiw}}) is the official ensign for ships registered in Luxembourg. It is used for river and sea shipping, as well as for [[civil air ensign|aviation]]. This flag is based on the [[coat of arms of Luxembourg]] (a [[banner of arms]]) and is used as the ensign to avoid the possibility of Luxembourg's ensign being confused for that of the Netherlands. Ten white and blue stripes serve as the field for a red lion with a yellow tongue, claws and crown, and a doubled tail (''[[Lion (heraldry)|à la queue fourchée]]''). The proper ratio for this ensign is 5:7.

The ''Règlement Grand-Ducal'' of 27 July 1993 defined the ensign's colours as follows:{{refn|Règlement grand-ducal du 27 juillet 1993 précisant la composition chromatique des couleurs du drapeau national luxembourgeois et du pavillon de la batellerie et de l’aviation<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://legilux.public.lu/eli/etat/leg/memorial/1993/73|title=Mémorial A n° 73 de 1993 – Legilux|website=legilux.public.lu|access-date=Jan 11, 2021}}</ref>}}

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width:60%; background:#f9f9f9; border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse; white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"
|- style="text-align: center; background: #eee"
! width=25%| Scheme
!style="background:#F6343F;color:white" width=15%| Red
!style="background:#00A2E1;color:white" width=15%| Celestial blue
!style="background:#FFCE00;color:black" width=15%| Yellow 
|-
| [[Pantone]]
|032C
|299C
|116C
|-
| [[RGB color model]]
|239; 51; 64
|0; 163; 224
|255; 206; 0
|-
| ([[Hex triplet|HEX]])
|<nowiki>#</nowiki>EF3340
|<nowiki>#</nowiki>00A3E0
|<nowiki>#</nowiki>FFCE00
|-
| [[CMYK color model]]
|0; 90; 76; 0
|79; 7; 0; 0
|0; 10; 98; 0
|-
|}

== Roundel ==
[[File:Roundel of Luxembourg.svg|140px|right]]
The [[roundel]] of Luxembourg is based on the Red Lion ensign. It is seen on the [[Airborne Early Warning and Control|AWACS]] aircraft used by [[NATO]] and on the [[Airbus A400M]] operated by the [[Luxembourg Armed Forces]].

==Flag change debate==
{{Main|Roude Léiw#2006 initiative to introduce the Roude Léiw as national flag}}
[[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|200px|thumb|left|Flag of the Netherlands]]
The resemblance of the Luxembourgish flag with the [[Flag of the Netherlands|Dutch flag]] has given rise to a national debate to change it.

On 5 October 2006, [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Michel Wolter]] introduced a legislative proposition<ref>[http://initiativ-roudeleiw.lu/index.php?page=2 Initiativ Roude Léiw – de Roude Léiw als Fändel fir Lëtzebuerg – Proposition de loi – luxembourg luxemburg drapeau gesetz<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805203710/http://www.initiativ-roudeleiw.lu/index.php?page=2 |date=5 August 2007 }}</ref> to replace the current red-white-blue national flag with the Red Lion ensign. He argued that the current flag was commonly confused with that of the [[Flag of the Netherlands|Netherlands]] and that the Red Lion on the other hand was more popular, more aesthetic and of greater historic value. Wolter also claimed he had personally discussed the matter with some three hundred people, most of whom expressed their support for his initiative. On the other hand, many national politicians (including leading members of Wolter's own [[Christian Social People's Party|CSV]]){{Who|date=January 2010}} and VIPs{{Who|date=January 2010}} have expressed astonishment in the local media concerning both the timing and necessity for such a change.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} Wolter was supported in his initiative by the [[Alternative Democratic Reform Party|ADR]].

On 24 October 2006, a local group called ''Initiativ Roude Léiw'' ("Red Lion Initiative") held a press conference explaining their intention to support Wolter's project on a non-partisan basis.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} Their first actions would include distribution of red lion [[Bumper sticker|bumper stickers]], a petition and a poll. During sporting events like the [[Tour de France]], supporters for Luxembourgish participants now overwhelmingly use the Red Lion instead of the Flag.

In end of July 2015, Luxembourger Marc Dax submitted a formal petition to the [[Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg)|Chamber of Deputies]] to replace the current national flag with the Red Lion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://luxtimes.lu/archives/10515-change-the-luxembourg-flag|title=Change the Luxembourg flag?|website=luxtimes.lu|date=11 December 2017|access-date=Jan 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chd.lu/wps/portal/public/PetitionDetail?action=doPetitionDetail&id=510|title=Chambre des Députés du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg|website=www.chd.lu|access-date=Jan 11, 2021}}</ref> It received a little less than 500 signatures.

[[Partitions of Luxembourg|For historical reasons]], the adjacent [[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Belgian province of Luxembourg]] also uses a flag featuring a [[Lion (heraldry)|lion]] superimposed on [[Bar (heraldry)|horizontal stripes]]. Elsewhere, similar designs can also be found, for instance in the Belgian city of [[Bruges]] and the [[German state]] of [[Hesse]].

=== Two civil official flags ===
On 6 July 2007, the government stated the ''Roude Léiw'' would be accepted as a civil flag only within the territory of the Grand Duchy along with the national flag keeping the same proportions, i.e. 1:2 or 3:5 as the national flag to avoid confusion with the civil ensign.<ref>[http://www.gouvernement.lu/salle_presse/conseils_de_gouvernement/2007/07/06conseil/index.html#1 Proposition de loi N°5617 du député Michel Wolter (CSV) portant modification de la loi du 23 juin 1972 sur les emblèmes nationaux] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325205950/http://www.gouvernement.lu/salle_presse/conseils_de_gouvernement/2007/07/06conseil/index.html#1 |date=2010-03-25 }}, ''Gouvernement du Luxembourg'', 17 October 2012</ref> The Luxembourg flag is prominently displayed during national celebrations, particularly on the [[Grand Duke's Official Birthday|Grand Duke’s Official Birthday]], observed on 23 June. This was changed in 1962 from its former date of 23 January, the birthday of [[Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg|Grand Duchess Charlotte]], so the festivities may be held in more favourable summer weather. On this day, flags are flown throughout the country, including at the [[Gëlle Fra]] war memorial in [[Luxembourg City]]. During periods of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast.

==See also==
*[[List of flags of Luxembourg]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Flags of Luxembourg}}
* {{in lang|en}} {{FOTW|id=lu|title=Luxembourg}}
* [https://legilux.public.lu/eli/etat/leg/loi/1972/06/23/n1/jo Loi du 23 juin 1972 sur les emblèmes nationaux (1972 law, unamended)] Memorial, A, number 51, of 16 August 1972
* [https://legilux.public.lu/eli/etat/leg/loi/1993/07/27/n7/jo Loi du 27 Juillet 1993 modifiant et complétant la loi du 23 juin 1972 sur les emblèmes nationaux (1993 amendments, and a consolidated version of the law)] Memorial, A, number 73, of 16 September 1993
* [http://www.luxembourg.public.lu/en/publications/d/ap-symboles/ap-symboles-2003-FR-EN-DE2.pdf About... symbols of the state and the nation] Government brochure on the coats of arms, National Day, flag and the national anthem

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{{Luxembourg topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luxembourg, Flag of}}
[[Category:National symbols of Luxembourg|Flag]]
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:1845 establishments in Luxembourg|Flag]]
[[Category:Flag controversies]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, red and white]]
[[Category:Horizontally symmetrical flags]]