Thorn Ministry
The Thorn Ministry was the government of Luxembourg between 15 June 1974 and 16 July 1979. It was led by, and named after, Prime Minister Gaston Thorn. Throughout the ministry, Thorn's Democratic Party formed a coalition with the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party. At first, the Deputy Prime Minister was Raymond Vouel, but he left to become European Commissioner in 1976, and was replaced by Bernard Berg.
The Ministry was formed after the election of 1974, which saw the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) remain the largest single party, but without a majority of seats in the legislature.
Contents
Policies
The liberal-socialist government enacted a reform of divorce laws, abortion laws and the penal code. In 1974, adultery was decriminalised. The laws of 6 February 1975 and 5 December 1978 allowed divorce by mutual consent and for a determined cause (such as the couple not having lived together for three years). The law of 15 November 1978 legalised abortion, over the vehement opposition of Deputies of the CSV, who raised concerns over the life of the unborn child. In 1979, the death penalty was formally abolished.[1]
To preserve a level of pluralism in the press, the government introduced direct subsidies for newspapers. The formula for calculating this was advantageous to publications with a small readership, and counter-balanced to an extent the growing commercial success of the main daily newspaper, the Luxemburger Wort, close to the CSV.[1] (see Press subsidy in Luxembourg)
The government was forced to abandon two large-scale infrastructure projects in the face of popular opposition. In 1977, it cancelled plans for a nuclear power plant in Remerschen. This project had faced criticism from the anti-nuclear movement, partly due to the context of the Three Mile Island accident in the United States. Another project that caused controversy was that of the "Centre 300", a planned home for the European Parliament, designed by the French architect Taillibert.[1]
Economic policy
The start of the new government coincided with the beginnings of the economic crisis. From late 1974, the prices and exports in the steel sector sank. The value of steel production sank by 33% in 1975, and GDP decreased by 6,1%. In late 1975, inflation rose above 10%. However, this time it was not merely a market readjustment, but the crisis was structural in nature. The decline in steel production turned out to be permanent, and irreversible. From 1974 to 1992, steel production decreased by more than 50%, from 6,4 to 3,07 million tonnes. Over the same period, ARBED cut back its work force by more than two-thirds, from 27,000 to 8,100. The role of the Thorn government, and subsequent governments, was to consist of managing the crisis such as to avoid mass lay-offs, and to guide the transition towards a post-industrial economy.
In July 1975, the government introduced a law allowing it to take measures to avoid lay-offs and to assure full employment.
Ministers
15 June 1974 – 21 July 1976
| Name | Party | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Thorn | DP | Prime Minister Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister for Physical Education and Sport |
|
| Raymond Vouel | LSAP | Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Finances |
|
| Marcel Mart | DP | Minister for the National Economy Minister for the Middle Class and Tourism Minister for Transport Minister for Energy |
|
| Émile Krieps | DP | Minister for Public Health and the Environment Minister for the Civil Service Minister for the Police Force |
|
| Joseph Wohlfart | LSAP | Minister for the Interior | |
| Robert Krieps | LSAP | Minister for National Education Minister for Justice Minister for Cultural Affairs |
|
| Jean Hamilius | DP | Minister for Agriculture and Viticulture Minister for Public Works |
|
| Bernard Berg | LSAP | Minister for Work and Social Security Minister for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Albert Berchem | DP | Secretary of State for Agriculture and Viticulture | |
| Guy Linster | LSAP | Secretary of State for National Education | |
| Maurice Thoss | LSAP | Secretary of State for Work and Social Security Secretary of State for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Source: Service Information et Presse | |||
21 July 1976 – 16 September 1977
| Name | Party | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Thorn | DP | Prime Minister Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister for Physical Education and Sport |
|
| Bernard Berg | LSAP | Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Work and Social Security Minister for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Marcel Mart | DP | Minister for the National Economy, Middle Class, and Tourism Minister for Energy |
|
| Émile Krieps | DP | Minister for Public Health and the Environment Minister for the Civil Service Minister for the Police Force |
|
| Joseph Wohlfart | LSAP | Minister for the Interior | |
| Robert Krieps | LSAP | Minister for National Education Minister for Justice Minister for Cultural Affairs |
|
| Jean Hamilius | DP | Minister for Agriculture and Viticulture Minister for Public Works |
|
| Jacques Poos | LSAP | Minister for Finances | |
| Albert Berchem | DP | Secretary of State for Agriculture and Viticulture | |
| Guy Linster | LSAP | Secretary of State for National Education | |
| Maurice Thoss | LSAP | Secretary of State for Work and Social Security Secretary of State for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Source: Service Information et Presse | |||
16 September 1977 – 16 July 1979
| Name | Party | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Thorn | DP | Prime Minister Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister for the National Economy and the Middle Class |
|
| Bernard Berg | LSAP | Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Work and Social Security Minister for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Émile Krieps | DP | Minister for Public Health Minister for the Civil Service Minister for the Police Force Minister for Physical Education and Sport |
|
| Joseph Wohlfart | LSAP | Minister for the Interior | |
| Robert Krieps | LSAP | Minister for National Education Minister for Justice Minister for Cultural Affairs |
|
| Jean Hamilius | DP | Minister for Agriculture and Viticulture Minister for Public Works |
|
| Jacques Poos | LSAP | Minister for Finances | |
| Josy Barthel | DP | Minister for Transport Minister for Energy Minister for the Environment and Tourism |
|
| Albert Berchem | DP | Secretary of State for Agriculture and Viticulture | |
| Guy Linster | LSAP | Secretary of State for National Education | |
| Maurice Thoss | LSAP | Secretary of State for Work and Social Security Secretary of State for the Family, Social Housing, and Social Solidarity |
|
| Source: Service Information et Presse | |||
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Thewes, Guy. "Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché depuis 1848." Service information et presse. Luxembourg: Imprimerie Centrale, 2011. p. 182-190
.jpg){kind=link}