Alternative Democratic Reform Party

{{Politics of Luxembourg}}

The ADR has its roots in a demonstration in Luxembourg City on 28 March 1987, held to protest at the disparities between the 5/6ths final salary scheme enjoyed by civil servants and the basic state pension received by everyone else.{{cite journal |last=Hirsch |first=Mario |author-link=Mario Hirsch |date=December 1996 |title=Luxembourg |journal=European Journal of Political Research |volume=30 |issue=3–4 |pages=405–409 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-6765.1996.tb00694.x}} The large crowd, and the collection of 10,000 signatures for a petition demanding change, persuaded the organisers that there was widespread public support. The party was founded on 12 May 1987 as the 'Action Committee 5/6ths Pensions for Everyone' (Aktiounskomitee 5/6 Pensioun fir jiddfereen).{{cite web|url=http://www.adr.lu/index.php?id=22 |title=Geschicht vun der Partei |access-date=2006-08-23 |year=2006 |publisher=Alternative Democratic Reform Party |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722153620/http://www.adr.lu/index.php?id=22 |archive-date=2011-07-22 |language=de |url-status=live }}

In the 1989 election to the Chamber of Deputies, on 18 June 1989, the party achieved remarkable success by attracting votes from far beyond its core support base. Many Luxembourgers voted for the ADR as a protest vote, allowing the ADR to register 7.3% of the vote, win 4 of the 60 seats, and come fourth. The spectacular triumph of the party in the election required the leadership to formulate a new party strategy. On 12 November 1989, the name was amended to 'Action Committee 5/6ths' (Aktiounskomitee 5/6), reflecting its increased attention to other concerns. The party lost one of its deputies, Josy Simon, when he defected to the Democratic Party in spring 1991.{{cite journal |last=Hirsch |first=Mario |author-link=Mario Hirsch |date=December 1992 |title=Luxembourg |journal=European Journal of Political Research |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=469–470 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-6765.1992.tb00334.x}}

On 22 November 1992, the name was changed again, to 'Action Committee for Democracy and Pensions Justice' (Aktiounskomitee fir Demokratie an Rentengerechtigkeet). In December of the same year, the prominent deputy Fernand Rau defected from the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) after it broke its pledge to make him European Commissioner, increasing the ADR's representation back up to four.{{cite journal |last=Hirsch |first=Mario |author-link=Mario Hirsch |date=December 1993 |title=Luxembourg |journal=European Journal of Political Research |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=491–494 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-6765.1993.tb00402.x}} At the 10 October 1993 local elections, the ADR won 7 seats in communal councils. At the 1994 general election, the ADR got 9.0% of the vote and 5 seats, putting the ADR over the threshold required to qualify as a caucus, but the ADR fell to fifth place, behind the resurgent Greens.

On 3 August 1998, a law was passed equalising pension provision between civil servants and other workers,{{cite web | url=http://www.legilux.public.lu/leg/a/archives/1998/0070/a070.pdf#page=2 | title=Mémorial A, 1998, No. 70 | access-date=2008-04-20 | format=PDF | publisher=Service central de législation|language=fr}} fulfilling the ADR's original raison d'être, but this did not prevent the ADR from strengthening its position further. In the 1999 legislative election, the party enjoyed increased success, winning 9.4% of the vote and 7 seats. The results put the ADR back into fourth place, but the Greens managed to hold on to their seat in the simultaneous European elections. October 1999 saw ADR candidates elected in ten communes, with two winning in each of Luxembourg City and Esch-sur-Alzette. The ADR lost two of its Chamber of Deputies seats at the 2004 general election, and its share of the vote fell to under 10%.

One of ADR's hallmark positions is its euroscepticism, and it is the only eurosceptic party in the Chamber of Deputies.{{cite news |first=Zoë |last=Casey |title=Luxembourg ratifies Lisbon treaty |url=http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2008/05/2602/luxembourg-ratifies-lisbon-treaty/60991.aspx |publisher=European Voice |date=30 May 2008 |access-date=June 12, 2009}} It was the only parliamentary party that actively campaigned against the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, which was put to a referendum and narrowly passed with 56.5% of voters in favour.

On 2 April 2006 the name was changed once more, to its current name of 'Alternative Democratic Reform Party' (Alternativ Demokratesch Reformpartei). Significantly, for the first time, the name makes no reference to pension reform, signalling the eagerness of the ADR to further solidify its position as a major party in national politics. However, on 1 May, Aly Jaerling left the party to sit as an independent in the Chamber of Deputies, complaining of the move away from campaigning for pensions.{{cite web|url=http://www.paperjam.lu/c/articles/15245.html |title=ADR: Jaerling prend la tangente |access-date=2006-08-23 |date=2006-04-21 |publisher=PaperJam.lu|language=fr}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} As a result of Jaerling's departure, the party lost its status as a caucus and now only qualifies as a 'group', threatening its future security.{{cite web|url=http://www.investigateur.info/zines/textes/315_3.html |title=Le hara-kiri d'Aly Jaerling |access-date=2006-08-23 |year=2006 |publisher=L'investigateur |language=fr |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070506143726/http://www.investigateur.info/zines/textes/315_3.html |archive-date=May 6, 2007 }}

On 29 May 2008, the ADR deputies and Jaerling were the only members not to vote for the Treaty of Lisbon. In the 2009 Chamber election, the ADR held on to four seats (of which, 2 in Sud), but with a reduced vote share of 8.1%: its worst legislative election result since its first election, in 1989, whilst its vote share fell - albeit by less - in the simultaneous European Parliament election, to 7.4%. Jaerling, running for his own Citizens' List, failed to win a seat in either. This had been in spite of strong pre-election polling, the difference likely to be attributable to the financial crisis pushing voters to more familiar parties.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

On 8 June 2010, the ADR joined the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe, a Euro-Realist Europe-wide political party.{{Cite web |url=http://ecrgroup.eu/about-us/our-history/ |title=ECR Group - European Conservatives and Reformists Group |access-date=17 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219204118/http://ecrgroup.eu/about-us/our-history/ |archive-date=19 February 2018 |url-status=dead}} In the snap-election of 2013, the ADR once again fell in their share of the vote, from 8.14% to 6.64%. However, they did manage to regain one seat, having fallen to only two MPs after the defections of Jacques-Yves Henckes and Jean Colombera. The former sat out the 2009-2013 legislative period as an independent, the latter founded the Party for Full Democracy. Roy Reding regained the mandate in the Centre district, putting the party back at 3 mandates.

During the Constitutional Referendum Campaign of 2015, the ADR was the only party to explicitly campaign for the "3 x No" vote, thereby rejecting the opening of the right to vote for 16 year-olds and foreign residents, as well as rejecting the idea of limiting minister mandates to 10 years. This campaign was in stark contrast to the campaign of the largest party, the CSV, whose main message was to "be informed" when voting. With each question being rejected by between 70% and 80% of the electorate,{{Cite web |url=http://www.elections.public.lu/content/dam/elections/fr/referendum/2015/resultats-officiels/referendum-resultats-officiels.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=17 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226151213/http://www.elections.public.lu/content/dam/elections/fr/referendum/2015/resultats-officiels/referendum-resultats-officiels.pdf |archive-date=26 December 2017 |url-status=dead }} this event represented a big political win for the ADR in face of the incumbent Government.

3 years after the Referendum, on 2 March 2018, the ADR announced that it would be co-operating with the citizen's movement Wee 2050 - Nee 2015, which had been founded pre-referendum to campaign for the "3 x No". The cooperation agreement involved Wee 2050 having up to 8 places on the ADR's electoral lists for the legislative election of October 2018, and ensured that the movement could remain relatively independent by not requiring the Wee 2050 candidates to be members of the ADR per se.

In 2020-2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ADR was the only political party in Luxembourg to oppose governmental measures like closing restaurants, claiming the restrictions infringed upon personal freedoms.{{cite web | url=https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1687271.html | title=Chamber of Deputies -10th Covid law passes: MPS agree to extend Covid-19 regulations }}

The party was founded as a single-issue party, to introduce equality between private and public sector pensions. The focus on pension reform allowed it to make it the core campaign issue of all five elections in the first ten years of its formation.Immergut et al (2007), p. 36 By 1998, the party had forced the government to accede almost all of its demands.Immergut et al (2007), p. 838 However, this success has not thwarted the ADR, and it has diversified its programme to cover all aspects of public policy.

The party is a supporter of economic liberalism, having positioned itself to fill what it say is a void left by the Democratic Party. The party is critical of public sector waste and the 'elitist' nature of public spending projects. The ADR is socially conservative. It is opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide.Dumont et al (2006), p. 77 Luxembourgish former foreign minister and socialist politician Jean Asselborn has stated that as of the year 2020 ADR is not a far-right political party.{{cite web | url=https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/interviews/2020/03-mars/03-asselborn-paperjam.html | title="Nos portes ont toujours été ouvertes"|date=3 March 2020 }}{{Contradictory inline|date=January 2025}}

The party places great importance on promoting the Luxembourgish language, and its electoral success in the 1999 election pushed the CSV-DP government to make knowledge of it a criterion for naturalisation.{{cite book |title=Acquisition and Loss of Nationality: Policies and Trends in 15 European States – Volume 2: Country Analysis |editor1-first=Rainer |editor1-last=Bauböck |editor2-first=Eva |editor2-last=Ersbøll |editor3-first=Kees |editor3-last=Groenendijk |editor4-first=Harald |editor4-last=Waldrauch |first=François |last=Moyse |author2=Brasseur, Pierre|author3= Scuto, Denis |year=2004 |publisher=Amsterdam University Press |location=Amsterdam |chapter=Luxembourg |isbn=978-90-5356-921-4 |page=380 }} It is currently also the only political party in Luxembourg that wishes to implement written laws also in Luxembourgish (together with French and German) and that wants Luxembourgish to be an officially recognized language of the European Union.{{cite web | url=https://www.rtl.lu/news/national/a/964594.html | title=Lëtzebuerger Sprooch stäerken: ADR: Wichteg Gesetzer och op Lëtzebuergesch }}{{Cite web |url=https://adr.lu/walen/walen-2013/eise-walprogramm/eise-walprogramm-op-letzebuergesch/26-letzebuergesch-dei-sprooch-fir-eist-land/ |title=Letzebuergesch dei sprooch fir eist land |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=23 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023193557/https://adr.lu/walen/walen-2013/eise-walprogramm/eise-walprogramm-op-letzebuergesch/26-letzebuergesch-dei-sprooch-fir-eist-land/ |url-status=dead }} While Maltese or Irish for example are fully recognized official languages of the EU, Luxembourgish is not. In 2005 politician Jean Asselborn of LSAP rejected a demand made by ADR to make Luxembourgish an official language of the European Union citing financial reasons and also that German and French being already official languages would be sufficient for the needs of Luxembourg.{{cite web | url=https://europaforum.public.lu/fr/actualites/2010/09/qp-kartheiser-langue/index.html | title=De l'usage de la langue luxembourgeoise dans le contexte européen : Une question parlementaire de Fernand Kartheiser - Europaforum Luxembourg - Septembre 2010 }} ADR is also opposed to multiple citizenship.{{cite book|title=Acquisition and Loss of Nationality: Policies and Trends in 15 European States|last=Bauböck|first=Rainer|author2=Ersboll, Eva|year=2006|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|location=Amsterdam|page=237|isbn=978-90-5356-920-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nFmjkTnXNQAC}}

The party is marked out from the other parties by being softly Eurosceptic,Dumont et al (2006), p. 220 sharing this position with only the far left,Dumont et al (2006), p. 95 and being the country's most sovereigntist party.Maier et al (2004), p. 144 The leadership had supported the proposed European Constitution, endorsing it in the 2004 European election, before changing its position in the spring of 2005 under pressure from party members.Dumont et al (2006), p. 92 In its criticism of the EU, the party puts emphasis on the democratic deficit and transparency. However, in heavily pro-European Luxembourg, the ADR had always fared worse in European elections than on national elections, which were held on the same day.Maier et al (2004), p. 143 This was the case only until 2014, when the party achieved a slightly better score than it had in the early 2013 national elections, managing to beat the LSAP in the majority of communes. The party is opposed to EU sanctions on Russia, suggesting that they harm Luxembourg's economy.{{cite web | url=https://delano.lu/article/adr-calls-for-lifting-of-russi | title=ADR calls for lifting of Russia sanctions to protect economy }}

The Shoura (the assembly of the Muslim community of the Grand Duchy) stated in a 2013 review that "of all political parties in Luxembourg, ADR is the party that appears most hostile to Muslims, true to its clichés that Islam is not soluble in democracy. ADR furthermore feels obliged to mention a possible prohibition of the burqa, and that polygamy or courts based on Sharia law as not compatible with European law and values."{{cite web | url=https://paperjam.lu/article/news-la-shoura-met-la-pression-sur-les-partis | title=La Shoura met la pression sur les partis }}

Furthermore, in its declaration of principles it has outlined, among others, the following priorities:{{Cite web |url=https://adr.lu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/grondsatzprogramm.pdf |title=Grond satz programm |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412031347/https://adr.lu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/grondsatzprogramm.pdf |url-status=dead }}

• Human rights and individual freedoms
• Parliamentarian democracy in form of a constitutional monarchy
• Implementation of direct democratic plebiscite of the citizens on important issues (referendums)
• Freedom of the press
• Judicial independence
• Equal treatment between men and women
• Social justice
• Preservation and promotion of the Luxembourgish language (and giving it the status of an official language of the European Union)
• Against discrimination and for equal use of Luxembourgish and German in contrast to French in state institutions and society, and thus preservation of multilingualism in Luxembourg
• Seeing Luxembourg as having heritage in Greco-Roman civilization with Judeo-Christian traditions
• Seeing Luxembourg as a refuge for politically and religiously persecuted people
• Integration of refugees and immigrants into Luxembourgish society by respecting Luxembourgish, European and democratic values
• For the creation a Common European Defense policy
• A commitment to a green and environmentally friendly policy and the ethical treatment of animals

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== Organization ==

• Gaston Gibéryen (1987–1989)
• John Bram (1989–1991)
• Robert Mehlen (1991 – 2013)
• Fernand Kartheiser (2013)
• Jean Schoos (2013 – 2022)
• Fred Keup (2022-2024)
• Alexandra Schoos (2024-)

Since its formation, the ADR has had thirteen deputies in the Chamber of Deputies. Its five current deputies are given in bold.

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}

• Josy Simon (Center: 1989–1991)
• Fernand Rau (Center: 1992–1994)
• Fernand Greisen (Center: 1999–2004)
• Aly Jaerling (South: 1999–2006)
• Jean-Pierre Koepp (North: 1989–2009)
• Robert Mehlen (East: 1989–2009)
• Jacques-Yves Henckes (Center: 1994–2013)
• Jean Colombera (North: 1999–2004, 2009–2013)

{{Col-2}}

• Gaston Gibéryen (South: 1989–2020)
• Roy Reding (Center: 2013–2023)
• Fernand Kartheiser (South: 2009–present)
• Jeff Engelen (North: 2018-)
• Fred Keup (South: 2020-)
• Tom Weidig (Center: 2023-)
• Alexandra Schoos (East: 2023-)

{{Col-end}}

The ADR's primary political base are the CSV's 'traditional, rural and rightist' voters.Van Hecke et al (2004), p. 180 Although the ADR is seen to take votes from the right wing of the CSV,Van Hecke et al (2004), p. 182 more ADR voters declare themselves to be left-wing than either the CSV or DP.Van Hecke et al (2004), p. 187 Much of the party's support is in the north of the country,Dumont et al (2006), p. 124 where the ADR received its strongest support in the 1999 (16.7%), 2004 (14.7%) and 2009 Chamber elections (10.3%). In 2013 however it received its highest share of the vote in the Est constituency.

Due to the party's original purpose of pension equality, the party's electoral base is pensioners. However, disproportionately many people under the age of 24 also see the ADR in a positive light.Dumont et al (2006), pp. 127–8 ADR is particularly popular on the Internet, despite the party leadership's lack of interest in the medium, due in part to its popularity amongst young people.Dumont et al (2006), p. 156 The party is most popular amongst people earning less than €30,000, and has attracted support from the part of the CSV's core electorate that have been left out of recent economic growth.Van Hecke et al (2004), p. 195 As with the CSV and LSAP, the ADR is supported by people with less education.Van Hecke et al (2004), p. 185

The party is backed by the third-largest general trade union in the country, the small Neutral Union of Luxembourg Workers (NGL), which has been the driving force behind the ADR.Immergut et al (2007), p. 815 The ADR has also been close to the Luxembourg Association of Retired and Invalid People (LRIV), which formerly backed the Communist Party. The party has used local celebrities, such as Jean-Pierre Koepp in Nord, to boost its appeal.Immergut et al (2007), p. 849

{{portal|conservatism}}

• List of political parties in Luxembourg

{{reflist}}

• {{cite interview |last=Camus |first=Jean-Yves |interviewer=Christoph Bumb & Pol Schock |title= Extremism-researcher Camus: "The ADR is not right-wing populist |url=https://www.wort.lu/de/politik/extremismusforscher-jean-yves-camus-die-adr-ist-nicht-rechtspopulistisch-588e44c7a5e74263e13a9c53 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Dumont |first1=Patrick |last2=Fehlen |first2=Fernand |last3=Kies |first3=Raphaël |last4=Poirier |first4=Philippe |year=2006 |title=Les élections législatives et européennes de 2004 au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg |publisher=Chamber of Deputies |url=http://www.chd.lu/wps/wcm/connect/57c4e7804e295e05b6adf7010df100bc/Rapport_complet_elections2004.pdf?MOD=AJPERES |language=fr}}
• {{cite book |title=The Handbook of West European Pension Politics |last=Immergut |first=Ellen M. |author2=Anderson, Karen M.|author3= Schulze, Isabelle |year=2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-929147-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T0pYjE6REq4C }}
• {{cite book |title=Campaigning in Europe - Campaigning for Europe |last=Maier |first=Michaela |author2=Tenscher, Jens |year=2004 |publisher=LIT Verlag Münster |location=Münster |isbn=978-3-8258-9322-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j9NjsybIcgoC }}
• {{cite book |title=Christian Democratic Parties in Europe Since the End of the Cold War |last=Van Hecke |first=Steven |author2=Gerard, Emmanuel |year=2004 |publisher=Leuven University Press |location=Leuven |isbn=978-90-5867-377-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJ6x8zmRAaEC }}

• {{in lang|lb}} [http://www.adr.lu/ Alternative Democratic Reform Party official website]

{{Luxembourgian political parties}}

{{Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Conservative parties in Luxembourg

Category:Pensioners' parties

Category:Nationalist parties in Luxembourg

Category:Eurosceptic parties in Luxembourg

Category:European Conservatives and Reformists Party member parties

Category:Political parties established in 1987

Category:1987 establishments in Luxembourg

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Category:Right-wing populist parties

Category:Luxembourgian nationalism