Xavier Bettel

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Xavier Bettel (Script error: No such module "IPA".; born 3 March 1973) is a Luxembourgish lawyer and politician who serves as the deputy prime minister of Luxembourg and as the minister for Foreign Affairs since 2023. He served as the prime minister of Luxembourg from 2013 to 2023. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1999 to 2013 and mayor of Luxembourg City from 2011 to 2013.[1][2]

Bettel is a member of the Democratic Party (DP).[3] Following the 2013 general election, he took office as prime minister and succeeded Jean-Claude Juncker of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV). Bettel was the youngest ever prime minister, taking office at the age of 40. He also became the first openly gay prime minister in the world to serve a second term in 2018, when his mandate was renewed.

He was appointed deputy prime minister in 2023 in the Frieden-Bettel Government.[4][5] He received the most personal votes in the 2023 elections[6] and is frequently ranked as the most popular politician in the country, with an approval rating of 79% as of a June 2025 poll.[7]

Early life

Bettel was born on 3 March 1973 in Luxembourg City and grew up in Roeser.[8] His father, Claude Bettel (1939-1999), was a French transport entrepreneur of Luxembourgish origin who moved to Luxembourg in 1971, eventually joining the DP and becoming a member of the Luxembourgish National Council for Foreigners.[9][8] Bettel has said he has an Orthodox Russian grandfather and a Polish-Jewish grandfather, while his parents were Catholics.[10] His mother Aniela is a grandniece of the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.[11] After completing his secondary school studies at Lycée Hélène Boucher in Thionville,[12] Bettel obtained a master's degree in Public and European Law and a DEA in Political Science and Public Law from Nancy 2 University in Nancy, France.[13][14] He also studied maritime law as well as canon law at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece, where he was studying thanks to the Erasmus Programme.[15] Bettel joined the DP in 1988 at age 15, and became the president of the party's youth wing in 1993.[8] For four years in the early 2000s, he hosted Sonndes em 8, a weekly talkshow, on the now-defunct private T.TV television network.[16][17] In 2017, he also received an honorary doctorate from Sacred Heart University Luxembourg.[18][19]

Municipal politics (1999-2013)

In the elections of 1999, Bettel was elected to Luxembourg City's communal council, finishing sixth on the DP's list. Two years after his election to the local council, on 12 July 2001, he was certified as a lawyer.[2] On 28 November 2005, after the municipal elections in which he was placed fourth on the DP list, Bettel was appointed échevin (alderman) in the council of Luxembourg City.[2]

Following municipal elections on 9 October 2011, Bettel was sworn in as Mayor of Luxembourg on 24 November 2011. He resigned from his position as DP leader in the Chamber of Deputies, which he had held since 2009.[20][21]

Chamber of Deputies (1999-2013)

Bettel ran for the Chamber of Deputies in the 1999 general election; he finished tenth amongst DP candidates in the Centre constituency, with the top seven being elected.[22] However, the DP overtook the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) as the second-largest party; its members formed the majority of the new government as the Christian Social People's Party's (CSV) coalition partners. Thus, with Lydie Polfer and Anne Brasseur vacating their seats to take roles in the government, as well as Colette Flesch not taking her seat so as to focus on her role as Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Bettel was appointed to the Chamber of Deputies, starting 12 August 1999.[2]

By the time of the 2004 general election, Bettel had significantly consolidated his position; he finished fourth (of the five DP members elected), assuring him a seat in the Chamber of Deputies.[23]

Premiership (2013–2023)

First term

In 2013, Bettel was elected leader of the Democratic Party. In the 2013 general election, he led the party to a third-ranked position in parliamentary seats. On 25 October, Bettel was designated by Grand Duke Henri as the formateur for the next government.[24] He assumed his post as Luxembourg's Prime Minister on 4 December 2013. In the government's coalition of the Democratic Party (DP), Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), and The Greens, he led the cabinet with co-Deputy Prime Ministers Etienne Schneider and Félix Braz. In his first term, he also held the functions of Minister of State, Minister for Communications and the Media, Minister for Culture, and Minister for Religious Affairs.[2]

File:Vladimir Putin and Xavier Bettel (2015-10-06)-102.jpg
Xavier Bettel and President Vladimir Putin (6 October 2015)

Second term

File:Xavier Bettel and Randy Evans 191216-D-BN624-070 (49231409611).jpg
Bettel and US Ambassador Randy Evans at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, on 16 December 2019

Following the 2018 election, he became the first openly gay prime minister in the world to be reelected for a second term. He began his second term when his government was formed on 5 December 2018,[25] which he led with co-Deputy Prime Ministers François Bausch and Dan Kersch. The government is a continuation between the Democratic Party, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party, and The Greens from the Bettel I government, with minor changes.

On 16 September 2019, following a short bilateral meeting on the status of Brexit negotiations, Bettel continued a press conference without British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after Johnson abruptly pulled out due to an anti-Brexit protest held by British citizens living in Luxembourg.[26] Bettel gestured towards Johnson's empty podium and confirmed that the UK Government had not tabled any concrete proposals for amendments to the UK's Withdrawal Agreement, particularly the "Irish backstop" that Johnson wished to replace.[27] This being despite the public pronouncements of Prime Minister Johnson and the UK's departure date from the EU fast approaching.[27] Pro-Brexit UK media reported the matter as an ambush,[28] whilst other UK and international media outlets largely saw the incident, as well as the reaction of pro-Brexit UK media outlets to it, as confirming the increasing hypersensitivity of pro-Brexit pundits and politicians to criticism.[26][27][29][30][31][32]

File:Зустріч Президента України та Прем’єр-міністра Люксембургу в Києві 20.jpg
Xavier Bettel with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 21 June 2022

On 29 February 2020, all of Luxembourg's public transport became free of charge as a result of the Bettel II government coalition agreement.[33]

Deputy premiership (2023–present)

Bettel was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in the Frieden-Bettel Government, after the coalition lost the 2023 election and only gained 29 seats.[34] A new coalition government emerged between the CSV and DP, in which Luc Frieden is the Prime Minister. He is in charge of foreign and European affairs, development cooperation, foreign trade, as well as the Greater region.

In February 2024, Bettel told Israel they risked losing "the last support they have in the world" if they attacked Rafah.[35]

Personal life

Bettel, who is openly gay,[36] has stated that increasingly in Luxembourg "people do not consider the fact of whether someone is gay or not". Bettel was Luxembourg's first openly gay Prime Minister. Worldwide, he was the third openly gay head of government following Iceland's Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (2009–2013) and Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (2011–2014).[37] He was one of four openly gay world leaders in office, the others being the Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabić, the Taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar, and the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs.

Bettel has been married to Gauthier Destenay since 2015,[38] the same year that same-sex marriage was introduced in Luxembourg.[39][40]

COVID-19 hospitalisation

On 4 July 2021, Bettel was admitted to hospital following a COVID-19 diagnosis on 27 June. The move was initially described as precautionary and for tests. It was reported that he experienced "mild symptoms" such as high temperature and headache.[41] The following day, it was reported that he was in a "serious but stable" condition and would remain hospitalised.[42] On 7 July 2021, the government said that Bettel would remain hospitalised a "little bit longer" due to low saturation of oxygen in his blood and that he was recovering "little by little".[43] On 8 July 2021, Bettel was discharged from hospital. It was announced he would resume activities soon via remote work for the rest of his isolation period. Bettel thanked health authorities for the treatment during his hospitalisation period.[44][45]

Honours and awards

Award or decoration Country Date
Ribbon Name
File:Order of Civil Merit (Spain) - Crosses.svg Order of Civil Merit File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain 2007Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Grand Officer.svg Order of Orange-Nassau (Knight Grand Officer) File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 2012Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:Ordre de la couronne de Chene GC ribbon.svg Order of the Oak Crown (Knight Grand cross) File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg 2014[46][47]
File:Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon.svg Order of the Legion of Honour (Commander) File:Flag of France.svg France 2015Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:BEL Kroonorde Grootkruis BAR.svg Order of the Crown (Knight Grand Cross) File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 2017[48]
File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Cross BAR.svg Order of Prince Henry (Grand Cross) File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal 2017[49]
File:EST Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana - 1st Class BAR.svg Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Grand Cross) File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia 2018[50]
File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg Order of Orange-Nassau (Knight Grand Cross) File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 2018Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:Orden Republike Srbije 2.gif Order of the Republic of Serbia (Grand Cross) File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia 2020[51]
Order of Makarios III (Cyprus) - ribbon bar Order of Makarios III (Grand Cross) File:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus 2022[52]
GRE Order of Honour Grand Cross BAR Order of Honour (Grand Cross) File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece 2023[53]

Allegations of plagiarism

"In [Bettel's] thesis at the University of Nancy there is not one correct reference," wrote Pol Reuter with reference to research by Reporter.lu. The master's thesis, submitted in 1999, is dedicated to the topic of electoral reform at the European Parliament. Allegedly, only two of the total 56 pages were free of plagiarism. The plagiarism findings are said to have been confirmed by several independent researchers.[54] Bettel stated he wrote this thesis with a clear conscience, although "from today’s standpoint, it could have – yes, maybe should have – been done differently." He also stated he would accept the findings of the University of Lorraine on the matter.[55]

See also

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ "Xavier Bettel - Luxembourg City's new Mayor", Wort.lu, 10 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  21. ↑ "Xavier Bettel sworn in as capital's mayor", Wort.lu, 24 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ "Un an de gratuité des transports publics au Luxembourg", lequotidien.lu (in French), 28 February 2021.
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ "Leo Varadkar, the gay son of an Indian immigrant, to be next Irish PM." The Guardian. 2 June 2017 Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Remise de la grand-croix de l'ordre de la Couronne à Xavier Bettel par Charles Michel Script error: No such module "webarchive". on www.gouvernement.lu
  49. ↑ Template:Cite tweet/photo/1
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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Political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Mayor of Luxembourg City
2011–2013 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Minister for Communications and Media
2013–2023 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Minister for Religious Affairs
2013–2023 Template:S-ttl/check
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Prime Minister of Luxembourg
2013–2023 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Minister for Foreign Affairs
2023–present Template:S-ttl/check 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Leader of the Democratic Party
2013–2015 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

Template:Luxembourg Prime Ministers Template:Bettel II Template:Frieden-Bettel Template:Foreign Ministers of the European Union member states Template:Foreign Ministers of NATO member states Template:Authority control

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