At stake in the referendum:    

• Three provisions, two related to voting rights and one related to limiting government Ministers’ terms to 10 years. 

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Grand Duke HENRI

• Head of Government: Prime Minister Xavier BETTEL

• Assembly: Luxembourg has a unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés) with 60 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The Grand Duke is hereditary head of state.

• Prime Minister is appointed by the monarch.

• In the Chamber of Deputies (Chambre des Députés) 60 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.*

* There are four multi-member districts with seats apportioned in proportion to their populations. Voters may vote for party lists, or they may cast preference votes within party lists. This open list system allows for panachage. That is, each voter has a fixed number of preference votes to cast, and the voter may distribute them among multiple parties' lists.

Provisions in the Referendum^[1] (to be held 7 June 2015):

1. Do you agree with the idea that Luxembourgers between the ages of sixteen and eighteen have the right to optionally register as voters to participate as voters in elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the European elections, and local elections as well as referendums?
   • Approuvez-vous l'idée que les Luxembourgeois âgés entre seize et dix-huit ans aient le droit de s'inscrire de manière facultative sur les listes électorales en vue de participer comme électeurs aux élections pour la Chambre des Députés, aux élections européennes et communales ainsi qu'aux référendums ?
   • Sidd Dir mat der Iddi averstanen, datt Lëtzebuerger, déi tëschent 16 Joer 18 Joer al sinn, d’Recht kréien, sech fakultativ an d’Wielerlëschten anzeschreiwen, fir als Wieler bei de Wahle Chamber, d’Europaparlament an de Gemengerot souwéi bei de Referende matzemaachen?
   • Results: 
     • Yes: 40,183 (19.13%)
     • No: 169,818 (80.87%)
2. Do you agree that non-Luxembourg residents have the right to optionally register as voters to participate as voters in elections to the Chamber of Deputies, on the double condition of having resided for at least ten years in Luxembourg and having previously participated in local or European elections in Luxembourg?
   • Approuvez-vous l'idée que les résidents non luxembourgeois aient le droit de s'inscrire de manière facultative sur les listes électorales en vue de participer comme électeurs aux élections pour la Chambre des Députés, à la double condition particulière d'avoir résidé pendant au moins dix ans au Luxembourg et d'avoir préalablement participé aux élections communales ou européennes au Luxembourg ?
   • Sidd Dir mat der Iddi averstanen, datt d’auslännesch Matbierger d’Recht kréien, sech fakultativ an d’Wielerlëschten anzeschreiwen, fir als Wieler bei Chamberwahle matzemaachen, an dat der ënnert der besonnescher duebeler Bedéngung, datt si op d‘mannst während 10 Joer zu Lëtzebuerg gewunnt hunn a virdru scho bei Gemengen- oder Europawahlen zu Lëzebuerg matgemaach hunn?
   • Results: 
     • ​Yes: 46,031 (21.98%)
     • No: 163,362 (78.02%)
3. Do you agree with the idea of limiting the maximum continuous period of time that a person can be part of the government to ten years?
   • Approuvez-vous l'idée de limiter à dix ans la durée maximale pendant laquelle, de façon continue, une personne peut être membre du Gouvernement ?
   • Sidd Dir mat der Iddi averstanen, d’Zäit, während där eng Persoun ouni Ënnerbriechung Member vun der Regierung däerf sinn, op maximal 10 Joer ze begrenzen?
   • Results: 
     • ​Yes: 46,031 (21.98%)
     • No: 163,362 (78.02%)

Electoral Requirements:

• According to Article 51 of the constitution, “The electors may be called to decide by way of referendum in the cases and under the conditions to be determined by the law.”  Referenda that do not involve changing the constitution are not technically binding, although Justice Minister Félix Braz recently claimed that the government would “respect the decision of the referendum.”^[2]

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 563,000 (2015)

• Registered Voters: 239,668 (2013)

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 264,551 (2014 est.)^[3]

• Is Luxembourg a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (10 December 1999)

• Has Luxembourg ratified CEDAW: Yes (1 July 2003)^[4]

• Gender Quota: No legislated quota.^[5]

• Female Candidates in this election: N/A

• Number of Female Legislators: 17of 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 21^[6]

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A^[7]

Disability Data:

Is Luxembourg a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

Has Luxembourg ratified CRPD: Yes (26 September 2011)^[8]