On Monday afternoon, Etgen appeared on RTL Radio to discuss the work carried out by parliament in light of the global pandemic, which has blighted the 2019-2020 parliamentary session.
The Chamber of Deputies itself was forced to move from its existing seat on Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes in the capital to the Cercle Cité, in order to allow MPs to continue their work with safe social distancing measures. Despite the obstacles presented, Etgen said he felt that parliament had emerged stronger after the peak of the crisis, facing challenges the likes of which it had not seen before. Etgen explained that MPs had become fully aware of their individual and collective responsibilities.
Audio in Luxembourgish.
The Chamber responded to the crisis efficiently and quickly, said Etgen, who also lauded the cooperation with other institutions such as the State council. He added that all offices involved had worked hard to ensure the wheels turned smoothly, with regular meetings with the government.
The new parliamentary session will expect similar challenges posed by Covid-19, with the pandemic impacting a number of political fields for the foreseeable future, and continuing to dominate the news. Etgen considered the possibility of a return to normality, but acknowledged it was impossible to predict.
Audio in Luxembourgish.
On Tuesday afternoon, the 2020-2021 parliamentary session will commence at 2.30pm, alongside the Prime Minister's speech.
