Alternative Democratic Reform Party

Infobox Political Party
party_name = Alternativ Demokratesch Reformpartei
party_
leader = Robert Mehlen
foundation = 12 May 1987
ideology = Right-wing populism
headquarters = 9, rue de la Loge
Luxembourg City
international = Alliance for Europe of the Nations
website = [http://www.adr.lu/ ADR] The Alternative Democratic Reform Party ( _lb. Alternativ Demokratesch Reformpartei, _fr. Parti réformiste d'alternative démocratique, _de. Alternative Demokratische Reformpartei), abbreviated to ADR, is a political party in Luxembourg.

Initially a single-issue party demanding equality of state pension provision between civil servants and all other citizens, [cite journal |last=Hirsch |first=Mario |year=1995 |month=December |title=Luxembourg |journal=European Journal of Political Research |volume=28 |issue=3–4 |pages=415–420 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-6765.1995.tb00507.x ] political success has required the ADR to develop positions on all matters of public policy. Recently, the party has moved away from the core pensions theme; generally, the ADR is a right-wing populist party, and is sometimes described as being nationalist.fr icon cite web|url=http://www.paperjam.lu/c/articles/15245.html |title=ADR: Jaerling prend la tangente |accessdate=2006-08-23 |date=2006-04-21 |publisher=PaperJam.lu ] It is the only party in the Chamber of Deputies to take a eurosceptic line.

The party was founded in 1987, and has rapidly become a significant political party on the national level. The ADR is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by four members, one from each circonscription, making it the fifth-largest party, behind the CSV, LSAP, DP, and the Greens.

History

Emergence

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 |year=1996 |month=December |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 the 12 May 1987 as the 'Action Committee 5/6ths Pensions for Everyone' ("Aktiounskomitee 5/6 Pensioun fir jiddfereen").de icon cite web|url=http://www.adr.lu/index.php?id=22 |title=Geschicht vun der Partei |accessdate=2006-08-23 |year=2006 |publisher=Alternative Democratic Reform Party ]

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 |year=1992 |month=December |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 after the CSV broke its pledge to make him European Commissioner, increasing the ADR's representation back up to four. [cite journal |last=Hirsch |first=Mario |year=1993 |month=December |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.

Mainstream party

On 3 August 1998, a law was passed equalising pension provision between civil servants and other workers, [fr icon cite web | url=http://www.legilux.public.lu/leg/a/archives/1998/0070/a070.pdf#page=2 | title=Mémorial A, 1998, No. 70 | accessdate=2008-04-20 | format=PDF | publisher=Service central de législation ] fulfilling the ADR's original raison d'être, but this didn't 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%.

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 and towards nationalism. 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. [fr icon cite web|url=http://www.investigateur.info/zines/textes/315_3.html |title=Le hara-kiri d’Aly Jaerling |accessdate=2006-08-23 |year=2006 |publisher=L'investigateur ]

Elected representatives

The party has four deputies in the national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies:
* Gaston Gibéryen (Sud)
* Jacques-Yves Henckes (Centre)
* Jean-Pierre Koepp (Nord)
* Robert Mehlen (Est)

ee also

* List of political parties in Luxembourg

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.adr.lu/ Alternative Democratic Reform Party official website]