Liberals seal coalition govt accord in Luxembourg

The leader of Luxembourg’s Liberals said Friday he had agreed coalition terms with the Socialist and Green parties to lead a new government, replacing 19-year veteran Jean-Claude Juncker.

“After 175 hours of negotiations, we have settled the coalition,” Xavier Bettel said on Twitter as he went to see Grand Duke Henri to confirm the accord.

Bettel, 40, currently mayor of the city of Luxembourg, is expected to take the oath of office on Wednesday, with the list of ministers to follow.

Juncker became premier in 1995, having first entered government in 1982, with his Christian Social People’s party (CSV) in power for all but five years since 1944.

He also played a key international role as head of the eurozone finance ministers group and his name has been mentioned for other possible high profile positions.

He has said however that he intends to lead a “critical but constructive” opposition to the new government and that he would not be a “bad loser”.

The CSV won the biggest share of the vote, 33.6 percent, and the largest number of seats — 23 out of 60 — in elections last month.

Bettel’s Liberals took 13 seats, the Socialists 13 also while the Greens garnered six to give them a majority of 32.