Following the recent resignation of the mayor of Käerjeng, another political change is on the horizon: Jean-Marie Halsdorf has confirmed that he will be stepping down as mayor of Pétange, bringing to a close a political career spanning almost four decades.
The former CSV minister told RTL that he has no intention of waiting until the next municipal elections to hand over his mandate, with the transition expected to take place next year. A likely date is 1 February, when Halsdorf will celebrate his 70th birthday.
His successor will be second alderman André Martins Dias. Local speculation that fourth alderman Maria Agostino might take over the post has been denied to RTL.
Halsdorf is stepping down as one of the CSV’s most experienced figures. First elected to the municipal council in Pétange in 1988, he served as mayor at the beginning of the 2000s and has been a fixture on the southern constituency parliamentary list since 1994. Between 2004 and 2013, he served as a minister in the Juncker/Asselborn government, holding responsibility for several portfolios including defence and home affairs.
A trained pharmacist by profession, Halsdorf chose not to stand in the last parliamentary elections in order to focus entirely on his municipal duties. That chapter of his public life will now draw to a close next year.
