French MPs approved a legal right to assisted dying by 291 votes to 241. The bill sets strict medical and residency conditions and now faces constitutional review before it can enter into force.
EU gas storage sat at roughly 40 percent at the start of June, far below the seasonal norm and, the Financial Times reports, the lowest in 15 years for this stage of the refill season. With most Russian pipeline gas gone and Qatari LNG lost indefinitely, Brussels is quietly loosening its filling targets — and Luxembourg, which stores no gas of its own, is fully exposed to the result.
Two governments have decided childhood and social media no longer mix. Luxembourg, bound by EU rules it helped write, is deliberately not following them with a ban of its own.
Luxembourg gives you free choice of doctor and no GP-registration system, so you can book a generalist, dentist or specialist directly without a referral. This guide explains how to find and book a doctor (Doctena, word of mouth, the multilingual medical community), the optional medecin referent scheme, out-of-hours care at the Maison Medicale and the pharmacie de garde, hospital emergency care, what to bring, fees and CNS reimbursement.
Luxembourg parents have three distinct statutory leaves. Maternity leave is 20 weeks (8 before, 12 after the birth), paid by the CNS as a maternity allowance. Paternity or co-parent leave is 10 days, taken within two months of the birth. Parental leave gives each parent 4 or 6 months full-time (or part-time and split options), paid by the CAE as an income-replacement allowance. This guide explains the durations, amounts, application deadlines and job protection.
Luxembourg is the world's only remaining sovereign Grand Duchy and a founding member of the European Union. As of 1 January 2026, its population reached 690,959, with foreign nationals making up 46.6%. The capital, Luxembourg City, had 137,696 residents at the end of 2025. The country spans just 2,586 km2, uses the euro, and ranks among the world's richest by GDP per capita. This explainer gathers the verified key facts and figures.
Three operators serve Luxembourg: POST (the incumbent, broadest and most reliable network, premium), Tango and Orange. Each has a prepaid brand: POST TipTop, Tango GO)) and Orange Hello. Choosing well means weighing coverage, data, fibre versus DSL, TV bundles, contract versus prepaid and EU roaming. All offer eSIM, an ID is required for any SIM, and number portability via the regulator ILR is free and fast.
Luxembourg is one of Europe's safest countries: the US and UK both place it at their lowest advisory level, and violent crime is rare. The main risk is petty theft and pickpocketing, concentrated around the central station (Gare) district and on buses and trams. Police data for 2025 show a rise in robberies (+30.8%) and theft (+11.9%) from a low base. Save 112 (fire/ambulance) and 113 (police) and watch your belongings in crowds.
Luxembourg has four maternity hospitals and lets parents freely choose their gynaecologist and midwife. The state pays a birth allowance of three tranches totalling 1,740.09 euros, each tied to specific medical examinations recorded in the carnet de maternité. Maternity leave runs 20 weeks at full salary, the CNS covers childbirth in hospital, and every birth must be declared at the commune within 10 days.
Schengen is a small wine village on the Moselle where Luxembourg, France and Germany meet. There, on 14 June 1985, five countries signed the Schengen Agreement aboard the boat MS Princesse Marie-Astrid, chosen because it sat at the tripoint of three nations. Today the Schengen Area lets people cross some 29 European countries without border checks. Visitors can tour the European Museum Schengen, board the original boat and see the star-topped columns by the river.
Unlike countries with calendar-based rules, Luxembourg ties its winter-tyre obligation to actual road conditions. When there is black ice, packed snow, slush or frost, you must drive on tyres marked M+S, M.S., M&S or the 3PMSF alpine snowflake, fitted on all wheels. Non-compliance brings a EUR 74 fine and the risk of having your vehicle immobilised. The rule applies to everyone on Luxembourg roads, whatever their plates.
Luxembourg sits at the crossroads of Belgium, France and Germany, making it easy to reach by air, rail, coach or car. Luxembourg Airport (Findel) lies just 6 km from the centre, with a tram and free buses into town. The TGV links Paris-Est in about 2h15, while CFL trains connect Brussels, Trier and Metz. FlixBus runs budget coaches, and toll-free motorways serve drivers. Best of all, every domestic bus, tram and train is free.
Luxembourg's public schools teach in three languages: Luxembourgish in preschool, German literacy in primary, growing French in secondary. That mix can be tough for newcomers. Free public international schools offer English, French and German sections leading to the European Baccalaureate, alongside private schools. This guide explains how to enrol via your commune, what schools cost, and how to choose by language and length of stay.
Luxembourg's family allowance pays €315.04 per child per month, rising with age supplements at 6 and 12. A back-to-school allowance of €115 or €235 is added each August, and a €1,740.09 birth allowance is paid in three tranches. The Caisse pour l'avenir des enfants (CAE) handles every claim, for residents and for the children of cross-border workers alike.
In Luxembourg, dial 112 for fire, ambulance and medical emergencies (run by the CGDIS) and 113 for the police. Both are free and answered 24/7, and 112 works anywhere in the EU. For non-urgent police matters call 244 244 244. Out-of-hours care goes through the médecin de garde (Maison Médicale, 20 333 111) and the pharmacie de garde. For poisoning, call the free 8002-5500. Give the operator your exact location and what happened.
Luxembourg is the only sovereign grand duchy on Earth, a constitutional monarchy where the Grand Duke is head of state but governs almost nothing. The 2023 constitution clarified that he promulgates laws rather than approves them. In October 2025, Grand Duke Henri abdicated and his son became Grand Duke Guillaume V. Real power lies with the 60-member Chamber of Deputies and a government led by Prime Minister Luc Frieden.
Luxembourg's temperate climate sits between oceanic and continental: mild, damp summers with July highs around 23-25 C, and cold, grey winters near 0-4 C with occasional snow. Rain is spread across the year, totalling roughly 830 mm; the north (Oesling/Ardennes) is cooler and wetter than the Moselle valley and south. This guide covers what to expect season by season, plus daylight hours and packing tips. All figures are climate averages.
Lose your job in Luxembourg through no fault of your own and the State pays full unemployment benefit (indemnité de chômage complet): 80% of your prior gross salary, or 85% with a dependent child. You must register with ADEM within four weeks, apply within two weeks of registering, have worked at least 182 days in the previous 12 months, and be a resident aged 16 to 64. Benefit runs for up to 12 months and is applied for online.
Nearly half of Luxembourg's workforce commutes from France, Belgium or Germany. These frontaliers are taxed at source in tax class 1, but can opt for resident assimilation to unlock class 2 and deductions if 90% of household income is taxed in Luxembourg (50% for Belgians). A separate 34-day limit governs how many home-working days stay tax-free; social security uses yet another rule, allowing up to 49% remote work.
Luxembourg is small enough that almost the whole country and several neighbouring cities sit within a day's reach of the capital. Public transport inside the Grand Duchy has been free for everyone since 2020, so trains and buses to Vianden, the Mullerthal, Echternach, the Moselle and Esch-Belval cost nothing. Cross-border favourites such as Trier, Metz, Saarbrucken and Bastogne are easy add-ons. This guide lists the best day trips and how to get there.
Many Luxembourg residents and non-residents must file a full income tax return on the modèle 100 form. Filing is mandatory if taxable income tops 100,000 euros, if non-withheld income exceeds 600 euros, or if combined salaries exceed 36,000 euros. For the 2025 tax year the return can be filed from 7 April 2026 to 31 December 2026, online via MyGuichet.lu or on paper. Those only seeking a refund can instead request an annual adjustment (décompte annuel).
Luxembourg subsidises childcare for ages 0 to 12 through the chèque-service accueil (CSA). The state pays up to 60 hours a week, capped at 7 euro an hour in a crèche or maison relais and 5.40 euro with a childminder, with the parental share scaling to taxable income. Children aged 1 to 4 get 20 free hours a week of multilingual education, and after-school care plus the noon meal are free in school weeks. Residents apply via their commune; cross-border workers via the CAE.
Luxembourg's statutory pension is a contributory first-pillar scheme run by the CNAP. The standard retirement age is 65, with early options at 57 or 60 under strict conditions. You need at least 120 months (10 years) of insurance to qualify. Contributions total 25.5% of capped pay, split equally between employee, employer and state (raised from 24% in January 2026). The pension combines a flat-rate part tied to career length and a proportional part based on lifetime earnings.
Luxembourg is one of Europe's most rewarding hiking destinations: compact, superbly waymarked and reachable on free public transport. This guide covers the 112 km Mullerthal Trail through the UNESCO Global Geopark Mëllerdall, the 106 km Escapardenne Eislek Trail and 53 km Lee Trail in the north, the Moselle and Upper Sûre routes, and more than 200 short circular walks, with practical tips on maps and seasons.