Members fear party focuses too much on top candidate nomination

After 10 young socialist politicians strongly criticised the party leaders in a letter earlier this year, showing a generational battle within LSAP, a second letter has now been addressed to the party’s leadership.

In the run up to the national election, the 54 signatories demand the party focuses more on strategy rather than the nomination of the political group’s top candidate.

They fear the party’s message focuses too much on one individual, rather than embodying a “credible and convincing programme”.

But LSAP president Claude Haagen doesn’t entirely agree. He believes the party’s electoral progrmme requires time, whereas as per the normal process, the election commission presents the candidates and then sets out a political programme.

Haagen reassures however that the LSAP programme will be discussed in detail and will involved everyone in the party.

LSAP congress in March

LSAP intends to present its 60 candidates for the upcoming national election at the party congress on 25 March. The nominations will include current vice prime minister and economy minister Etienne Schneider who is expected to be named top candidate.

While the party’s secretary general Yves Cruchten avoids stating that the campaign is geared too much towards Schneider, he explains LSAP is currently gathering feedback from its members through an online questionnaire.

Admitting that Schneider has a strong personality, Cruchten and Haagen explain that no one else from the party has expressed interest in running as top candidate.

Cruchten further reassures the election programme will be drawn based on input from members and on the party’s guide.

To date, only 426 out of around 3,000 participants have made recommendations.

As for Schneider, he encourages signatories to engage in the party’s various working groups and develop an electoral programme rather than send letters.