Opinion polls usually come but twice a year in Luxembourg, so today’s survey from TNS Ilres for RTL and the Luxembourger Wort newspaper will be pored over by the Grand Duchy’s parties, commentators and voters.

The ‘Blue-Red-Green’ coalition government, in power since March 2013, sees a modest improvement in public approval. 63 per cent of respondents say the government has the situation in the country either well or more or less under control, compared to 60 per cent the last TNS survey in January. That has to be put in perspective against an all-time low rating of just 35 per cent in November 2014. Confidence in the government overall moves into positive territory at a net +2 points (49 per cent complete or partial confidence, 47 per cent little or no confidence, 4 per cent Don’t Know). In January this figure stood at – 6 points.

Driving these improvements is doubtless the excellent state of the country’s economy. A staggering 88 per cent of those questioned rate the national economic situation as good or very good, while 86 per cent see their own household’s financial situation in the same way.

 

 

As the chart above shows, there are some small changes in the parties’ approval ratings, with the centre-left LSAP of Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider moving up two points of 12 per cent. The liberal DP of Prime Minister Xavier Bettel slips one, while the Greens are unchanged. The centre-right opposition CSV, historic ruling party of Luxembourg, remains far ahead on 36 per cent. It is important to stress that TNS does not ask a direct voting intention question, but rather whether voters have ‘confidence’ or ‘trust’ in parties.

The same poll also provides composite ratings for leading politicians, based on an average of scores for ‘sympathy’ and ‘confidence’. Foreign Minster Jean Asselborn (LSAP) is the clear leader, with an unchanged 83 per cent score. PM Bettel improves his ranking to stand third behind Chamber of Deputies President Mars di Bartolomeo (LSAP).

 

TNS ILRES
Party trust ratings, per cent
(change on 17 Jan poll in brackets)

Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) 36.0 (+1.0)
Democratic Party (DP)* 12.0 (-1.0)
Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP)* 12.0 (+2.0)
Green Party (dei Gréng)* 9.0 (nc)
Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) 3.0 (-2.0)
The Left (dei Lénk) 3.0 (-1.0)
Pirate Party 1.0 (nc)

None of the above 25.0 (+2.0)

*denotes member of coalition government

 

Personal approval ratings, per cent
(change on 17 Jan poll in brackets)

1. Jean Asselborn (LSAP, Foreign Minister) 83 (nc)
2. Mars di Bartolomeo (LSAP, President of Chamber) 72 (nc)
3. Xavier Bettel (DP, Prime Minister) 70 (+3)
4. Lydie Polfer (DP, Mayor of Luxembourg City) 64 (-4)
5. Claude Wiseler (CSV, lead election candidate) 62 (-6)
6. Romain Schneider (LSAP, Social Security Minister) 60 (-1)
7. Viviane Reding (CSV, MEP) 58 (-3)
8. Etienne Schneider (LSAP, Deputy Prime Minister) 57 (-2)
9. Félix Braz (Green, Justice Minister) 55 (-5)
10. Carole Dieschbourg (Green, Environment Minister) 50 (-8)

 

Fieldwork: 08.05-15.05.2017. Published: 23.05.2017. Participants: 1020. Methodology: 50.5% online interviews, 49.5% telephone interviews. Party question: ‘Which political party do you currently most trust?’ Full report and tables here.

 

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