Luxembourg
Landlocked country in western Europe, bounded north and west by Belgium,
east by Germany, and south by France.
Government
Luxembourg is a hereditary and constitutional monarchy. The 1868 constitution,
revised 1919 and 1956, provides for a single-chamber legislature,
the 60-member chamber of deputies, elected by universal suffrage
through a system of proportional representation, for a five -year
term.
There is also an advisory body, the council of state, whose
21 members are appointed by the grand duke for life. Any of its
decisions can be overruled by the chamber of deputies. The grand
duke also appoints a prime minister and council of ministers who
are collectively responsible to the chamber.
History
The area that is now Luxembourg was occupied by the Franks in the 5th
century BC, and later became part of the empire of Charlemagne.
Luxembourg established itself as an independent entity in the
10th century, and its rulers took the title of count of Luxembourg
in the 11th century, taking their name from the castle of Lucelin-burhuc.
In 1308 Count Henry became king of Germany as Henry VII, and Holy
Roman emperor in 1312.
Habsburg rule
Henry's grandson, the Emperor Charles IV, raised Luxembourg to the
rank of a duchy in 1354. In 1443 it was united with Burgundy,
and in 1482, along with the rest of the Low Countries, it passed
into Habsburg hands on the marriage of Mary, the Burgundian heiress,
to Archduke Maximilian of Austria. On the division of the Habsburg
lands in 1555-56 following the abdication of Charles V, Luxembourg
passed to the Spanish Habsburgs. It played no part in the Dutch
revolt against Spanish rule, and, along with what is now Belgium,
remained part of the Spanish Netherlands when the independence
of the northern Netherlands was acknowledged in 1648.
In 1683-84 Louis XIV of France conquered Luxembourg, but was
forced to return it to Spain in 1697. By the Treaty of Utrecht
(1713) ending the War of the Spanish Succession, Luxembourg and
the rest of the Spanish Netherlands was transferred from the Spanish
to the Austrian Habsburgs.
Independence
During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars Luxembourg was ceded to
France at the Peace of Campo Formio (1797). At the Congress of
Vienna (1815) it was created a grand duchy (the king of the Netherlands
being grand duke) and became part of the German Confederation
(see German history 1815-1919).
In 1830 Belgium and Luxembourg revolted against Dutch rule.
Belgium achieved independence in 1839 and most of Luxembourg became
part of it, the rest becoming independent in its own right in
1848.By the Treaty of London (1867) it was declared a neutral
independent state. When William III of the Netherlands died in
1890, Luxembourg passed to the Duke of Nassau.
In 1914 Luxembourg was overrun by the Germans and was occupied
by them until the end of World War I in 1918. In 1919, by the
Treaty of Versailles, it was declared free of all German ties.
In 1921 a bill was passed for the economic union of Luxembourg
with Belgium and the use of Belgian currency. Luxembourg was occupied
again by the Germans in World War II, from 1940 to 1944.
Role in Europe
In April and May 1948 constitutional changes were decided upon, the
most important of which was the abandonment of unarmed neutrality,
imposed upon the grand duchy in 1867, enabling Luxembourg to become
a member of NATO. Luxembourg formed an economic union with Belgium
and the Netherlands in 1948 (Benelux), which became fully effective
in 1960 and was the forerunner of wider European cooperation.
Although a small country, Luxembourg occupies an important position
in Western Europe, being a founding member of many international
organizations, including the European Coal and Steel Community,
the European Atomic Energy Commission, and the European Economic
Community (the predecessor of the European Union). The European
Court of Justice and the secretariat of the European Parliament
are located in Luxembourg, as well as some offices of the European
Union Commission.
Luxembourg voted in favour of ratification of the Maastricht
Treaty in 1992, although it sought exemption from the treaty's
clause requiring that residents from other member nations be allowed
to vote in local elections. About one-third of the duchy's population
are foreigners.
Internal affairs
Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896- 1985) abdicated in 1964 after a reign
of 45 years, and was succeeded by her son Jean.
Proportional representation resulted in a series of coalition
governments after World War II. The Christian Social Party (PCS)
headed most of these from 1945 until 1974, when its dominance
was challenged by the Socialists. It regained preeminence in 1979,
first under the leadership of Pierre Werner, and, from 1984, under
Jacques Santer. In July 1994 Santer was chosen to succeed Jacques
Delors as president of the European Commission. Jean-Claude Juncker,
also of the PCS, replaced Santer as prime minister in January
1995.
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