This discussion with Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, will focus on strengthening the European Union internally and towards the wider world.

The EU has faced different kinds of euro-scepticism and this year’s European Parliament elections suggested citizens wanted it to set a new course. At the same time, the wider international system displays instability and a shift away from multilateralism. How should the EU respond to promote interests and values on the global stage?”

Xavier Bettel (@Xavier_Bettel) is Prime Minister of Luxembourg.

Following the legislative elections of 20 October 2013, Xavier Bettel was appointed Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister for Communications and Media, Minister for Religious Affairs on 4 December 2013 in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) and the Green Party (“déi gréng”).

Following the legislative elections of October 2018, Xavier Bettel is currently serving in his second term as Prime Minister of Luxembourg in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party and the Green Party.

A member of the DP since 1989, Xavier Bettel was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1999, at the age of 26. He was since reelected in 2004, 2009, 2013 and 2018. At local level, Xavier Bettel was as municipal councilor (2000-2005) and later alderman (2005-2011) for the City of Luxembourg. As of 2011, he assumed the role of mayor - an office he held until his appointment as Prime Minister in December 2013. Xavier Bettel holds a master’s degree in public and European law and a post-graduate diploma of advanced studies in political sciences and public law from the University of Nancy.

Kevin Featherstone is Eleftherios Venizelos Professor in Contemporary Greek Studies and Professor in European Politics and the Director of the Hellenic Observatory. 

The LSE European Institute (@LSEEI) is a centre for research and graduate teaching on the processes of integration and fragmentation within Europe. In the most recent national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) the Institute was ranked first for research in its sector.

The Dahrendorf Forum (@DahrendorfForum) is a joint initiative by the Hertie School of Governance and the London School of Economics and Political Science, funded by Stiftung Mercator. Since its creation in 2010, the Dahrendorf project has grown into a major research and policy engagement network focused on debating Europe’s future. 

LSE IDEAS (@lseideas) is LSE's foreign policy think tank. We connect academic knowledge of diplomacy and strategy with the people who use it.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEEU