This could form the basis of the social project of a modern social-democratic people’s party.

Renewal requires the courage to make decisions

European social democracy faces a challenge that goes far beyond poll ratings and individual election results. Its traditional social base has changed. The industrial workforce, which has shaped it for generations, has shrunk. New forms of work, digitalisation, rising housing costs, demographic change and shifting lifestyles are calling old answers into question.

Luxembourg, too, is not immune to this change.

The LSAP has taken an important step with its new manifesto. Freedom, solidarity, social justice and equal opportunities remain our foundation. Yet a manifesto primarily answers the question of what a party stands for. The more difficult question follows: how do we translate these values into concrete reforms for Luxembourg in the coming decades?

The participatory process announced by the party leadership offers a great opportunity to do just that. Members are to set priorities, different social perspectives are to be taken into account, and the discussion is to be supported by academic expertise. That is right. A modern people’s party must listen before it decides.

But participation alone does not constitute political renewal.

At the end of such a process, there must be a willingness to set priorities and to take difficult decisions. Politics begins where legitimate interests come into conflict with one another.

How do we secure our welfare state in the long term whilst also preserving intergenerational justice? How do we create affordable housing and deal with land and speculation? How do we combine better working conditions with the competitiveness of our businesses? How do we harness digitalisation and artificial intelligence so that gains in productivity benefit people? And what level of economic growth does Luxembourg need to ensure that prosperity, quality of life and social cohesion are secured together?

A social democracy needs concrete answers to these questions.

In doing so, we should also have the courage to take a critical look at our own political past. The LSAP has helped shape Luxembourg whilst in government for decades. We can rightly be proud of that. But political responsibility also means recognising that not every past solution is sufficient for the future, and that some developments were underestimated.

Self-criticism is not a sign of weakness. It is a prerequisite for political credibility.

Renewal must therefore not become a conflict between generations, nor between the different traditions of our party. The experience of long-serving elected representatives is just as valuable as the drive for change of a younger generation. The key is to combine the two.

Young members, in particular, should now have the courage to get involved, ask questions and propose new answers. Not in opposition to those who have borne responsibility before them, but in partnership with them. Every generation must reinterpret social democratic values for its own time.

At the same time, the LSAP must not allow itself to be forced to choose between workers and the middle class. Private-sector employees, civil servants, tradespeople, the self-employed and young families who, despite having two incomes, struggle to find an affordable home, all find themselves in different circumstances. Nevertheless, they are united by one key expectation: anyone who works, takes on responsibility and contributes to our shared prosperity must be able to have confidence in their future.

This could form the basis of the social project of a modern social-democratic people’s party.

Economic strength and social justice are not mutually exclusive. A thriving economy lays the foundations for a strong welfare state. At the same time, a successful economy requires social cohesion, good education, functioning infrastructure and people who share in progress.

The participatory process that has begun should therefore result in more than just a collection of political demands.

Following on from the 2026 Policy Manifesto, a 2028 Reform Agenda could bridge the gap to the subsequent election manifesto: with clear priorities, concrete reforms, transparent funding and the courage to address conflicting objectives openly.

Not as a reckoning with the past. And not as the programme of a single party wing.

But as a shared project for the future.

The history of social democracy shows that it has always been strong when it has not merely managed social change, but shaped it. Luxembourg will continue to need a strong social democratic force in the future.

The conditions for this are in place.

What matters now is to turn participation into a guiding principle, our values into reforms, and renewal into a renewed political ambition to shape the future.