Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des
Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 June 1994 (next to be held by 13 June 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—CSV
21, LSAP 17, DP 12, Action Committee for Democracy and Pension
Rights 5, Greens 5
note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members
who are appointed for life, is an advisory body whose views are
considered by the Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch: Superior Court of Justice or Cour Superieure de
Justice, judges are appointed for life by the monarch;
Administrative Court or Tribunale Administratin, judges are
appointed for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Christian Social People's Party or
Political pressure groups and leaders: group of steel companies representing iron and steel industry; Centrale Paysanne representing agricultural producers; Christian and Socialist labor unions; Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marie MURRAY embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
Economy
Economy—overview: The stable, prosperous economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified. During the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a growing proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands, and as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.