'Demystifying Local Politics' Project Aims to Encourage Political Participation of Foreign Residents in Luxembourg, Wallonia

Politics for all asbl has announced that a launch seminar took place on Thursday 12 June 2025 for fifteen projects co-financed by the European Interreg Greater Region programme.

Among the selected projects is "Demystifying Local Politics!" led by a Luxembourg-based association from Luxembourg City, Politics for all, in partnership with the Centre d’Information et d’Éducation Populaire (CIEP) in Arlon, Wallonia (Belgium).

The main goal of "Demystifying Local Politics!" is to promote political participation and integration of foreign residents both in Luxembourg and Wallonia. Over a period of sixteen months, the project will organise two citizen meetings - one in Luxembourg and one in Wallonia - providing participants with an opportunity to engage directly with political decision-makers.

These exchanges are expected to help participants better understand the mechanisms of local democracy and demystify decision-making processes at various political levels. Additionally, the project will produce a media piece titled "Voices of Diversity: Stories of Political Engagement", which will highlight personal testimonies from engaged foreign residents, illustrating their motivations and the challenges they have faced.

According to Clara Moraru, President of Politics for all: "The low participation of foreign residents in municipal elections is a significant democratic challenge. Despite recent legal reforms that allow all European residents to vote in their place of residence, 63% of them are still unaware that they have this right, which is guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Our project aims to change this reality by raising awareness and mobilising these often overlooked citizens."

To embody this approach, the project organisers have chosen a pink microphone as the project's symbol (as held by the team in the accompanying photo). "This microphone represents the voice we want to give to foreign residents in consultation and political decision-making processes," the organisers said. "The colour pink was deliberately chosen to highlight this group's often underrepresented status in local politics, as well as the feeling many have that their voice does not matter. This symbol calls to break the silence and encourages everyone to speak up and engage actively".

Those interested in participating in the citizen meetings, which will be free of charge, or who would like more information about the "Demystifying Local Politics!" project may reach out to the organisers via email: info@politicsforall.lu.