Prime Minister Luc Frieden announced on Tuesday that the government, trade unions, and employer representatives will meet on 12 May. Further talks will take place before and after that date in preparation for an official tripartite meeting.
The first preparatory meeting will be held on 6 May, when the government will hold bilateral discussions with the trade unions and employer representatives separately. Frieden made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon in the Chamber of Deputies during a debate on the previously announced tripartite.
The first major exchange involving all three social partners is scheduled for 12 May. The official tripartite discussions will then take place during the first week of June, likely on 2 and 3 June.
During the initial meetings in May, the government aims to hear the main concerns of the trade unions and employers. Despite repeated questioning by MPs, Frieden declined to specify the topics to be discussed during the tripartite, citing respect for the social partners. He said he would inform the Chamber of Deputies about the general agenda only after the first talks have taken place.
However, Frieden stated that the broader context is clear: the war in Iran and its consequences for rising energy prices.
On 19 May, the Prime Minister will deliver his state of the nation address in the Chamber of Deputies. Frieden has already confirmed that he does not wish to anticipate the tripartite in that speech and will therefore not go into detail on issues the tripartite talks are meant to resolve. It can thus be assumed that the Prime Minister will not announce any short-term measures during his address.
