Luxembourg to hold early general elections

Much is at stake as early general elections are to be held on Sunday in Luxembourg, the world's last remaining Grand Duchy and second largest international investment hub after the U.S. The center-right Christian Social People's Party (CSV) is projected to top the poll, even though its frontrunner Jean-Claude Juncker, the country's prime minister for the past 18 years, resigned over a spying scandal in July which resulted in the snap election. Juncker, who denied any wrongdoing, was found of failing to inform the parliament of irregularities and illegalities conducted by the country's secrete services between 2004 and 2009. Still, he is seen by many as a trustworthy politician who has been protecting Luxembourg's national interests in Europe and elsewhere. He is also a founding father of the euro and the first president of the Eurogroup of Eurozone finance ministers. His party has always had the largest share of seats to form a coalition government, and Juncker is very likely to continue serving as the prime minister, unless other major parties form an alliance against the CSV. Joseph Daul, chairman of the European Parliament's largest party group EPP, strongly supported Juncker in a statement on Friday, calling him "a steady hand for Luxembourg" and "the architect of the country's economic success." Luxembroug's parliament, or the 60-member Chamber of Deputies, is elected for a five-year term by proportional representation in four constituencies, namely the north, the south, the east and the center. Each voter has as many votes as there are members to be elected in his or her constituency. More than 600 polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The prime minister, to be appointed by the Grand Duke after the elections, is usually the leader of the party or the coalition of parties gaining the most seats in the parliament.