The view from Luxembourg on the European Union — Commission policy, Court of Justice rulings, Council bargaining, and how Brussels and Strasbourg shape life inside the Grand Duchy.
Friedrich Merz, sworn in on 6 May 2025 at the head of a CDU/CSU-SPD coalition, faces a hardening political landscape one year on. The AfD has climbed from 20.8% at the election to nearly 28% in current polling.
Berlin has reauthorised internal Schengen controls on all nine of its land borders, including Luxembourg, until 15 September 2026 — citing migration and security pressures even as routine stationary checkpoints come down.
Talks on the European Commission's Digital Omnibus reform of the AI Act broke down on 28-29 April over how AI embedded in medical devices, machinery, toys and connected cars should be regulated.
On 6 January 2026, 35 countries signed the Paris Declaration committing to robust security guarantees for Ukraine, including UK and French deployments and US-led ceasefire monitoring.
On 12 March 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the surcharge applied to non-residents working in Luxembourg violates EU law — a decision with consequences for around 228,000 cross-border workers.
The Bank of Russia has filed a claim at the EU's General Court in Luxembourg against the European Council's December 2025 freeze regulation, while the country's tally of frozen Russian assets reaches €4.72 billion.