Jean Asselborn
Jean Asselborn | |
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| Minister for Foreign and European Affairs | |
| Assumed office 31 July 2004 | |
| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker Xavier Bettel |
| Preceded by | Charles Goerens |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg | |
| In office 31 July 2004 – 4 December 2013 | |
| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Lydie Polfer |
| Succeeded by | Etienne Schneider |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 April 1949 Steinfort, Luxembourg |
| Political party | Socialist Workers' Party |
| Alma mater | Nancy 2 University |
Jean Asselborn (pronounced [ˈʒɑ̃ː ˈɑsəlboʁn]; born 27 April 1949) is a Luxembourgish politician who has served in the government of Luxembourg as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2004. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2004 to 2013, under Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker.[1]
Early life and career[]
Jean Asselborn was born on 27 April 1949 in Steinfort.
Asselborn left school in 1967 at the age of 18, and began working in a Uniroyal plant that same year. It was during this time that he became actively involved in the trade union movement and was elected youth representative of the Federation of Luxembourg Workers (Lëtzebuerger Aarbechterverband), the precursor to the current OGBL trade union.
In 1968, Asselborn began working for the Luxembourg City administration as a civil servant, before returning to Steinfort in 1969, where he was also employed as a civil servant for the local administration.
Asselborn resumed his secondary studies in 1976, obtaining a diplôme de fin d’études secondaires from the Athénée de Luxembourg that same year. Upon obtaining his final secondary school diploma, he became the administrator of the Intercommunal Hospital of Steinfort (Hôpital intercommunal de Steinfort) in 1976, a post he held until 2004. In October 1981, he was awarded a master's degree in private judicial law from Nancy 2 University.
Asselborn became Mayor of Steinfort in 1982 and served in that position until 2004.
In government[]
Following the legislative elections of 13 June 2004, Jean Asselborn joined the government as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration on 31 July 2004.
Upon the return of the coalition government formed by the Christian Social Party (CSV) and the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) as a result of the legislative elections of 7 June 2009, Jean Asselborn retained the offices of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2009. In October 2012, at his instigation, Luxembourg was for the first time elected to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2013 and 2014.
Following the legislative elections of 20 October 2013, Asselborn was appointed Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Minister of Immigration and Asylum on 4 December 2013 in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party (DP), the LSAP and the Green Party (“déi gréng”).
As of July 2004, Asselborn represents the Luxembourg government at the Council of Ministers of the European Union in its Foreign Affairs and General Affairs configurations. Jean Asselborn is currently the longest-serving minister among the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union.
Political views[]
In early September 2016, Asselborn called for Hungary to be suspended or expelled from the European Union over its "massive violation" of EU fundamental values, citing concerns over its treatment of refugees during the European refugee crisis, independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press.[2]
In March 2018, Asselborn condemned the Turkish invasion of northern Syria aimed at ousting US-backed Syrian Kurds from the enclave of Afrin. Asselborn said about Turkey's conduct that "this has nothing to do with self-defence any more", adding that Turkey would have to cease and desist from attacking the YPG and explain its conduct in Afrin to the NATO council.[3]
Asselborn doubted that the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates would bring stability to the region, stating there will be no stability without a two-state solution, and said the UAE had let the Palestinians down with the agreement.[4]
Honorary distinctions[]
In December 2010, Jean Asselborn was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Großkreuz des Verdienstordens) of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In October 2013, he was appointed Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur) of the French Republic.
See also[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jean Asselborn. |
- Juncker-Asselborn Ministry I (2004–2009)
- Juncker-Asselborn Ministry II (2009–2013 )
- Bettel-Schneider Ministry (2013–)
- List of foreign ministers in 2017
- List of current foreign ministers
References[]
- ^ CV at government website Archived 2007-08-28 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Hungary 'should be excluded from EU'". BBC News. 13 September 2016.
- ^ "Was Erdogan macht, hat nichts mit Selbstverteidigung zu tun". Der Spiegel. 19 March 2018.
- ^ Ahren, Raphael (August 16, 2020). "Luxembourg FM: UAE 'let down' the Palestinians with Israel deal". The Times of Israel.
External links[]
Authority control  |
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- 1949 births
- Alumni of the Athénée de Luxembourg
- Deputy Prime Ministers of Luxembourg
- Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Living people
- Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party politicians
- Members of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
- Members of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg from Sud
- Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg
- People from Steinfort
- Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
- Recipients of the Order of the Sun of Peru