The OGBL is outraged and strongly condemns the recent decision of the new Minister of Home Affairs, Léon Gloden, to allow the City of Luxembourg to ban begging on a certain number of streets in the capital as of December 15, 2023.

The OGBL would first like to point out that, as the former Minister of Home Affairs pointed out when she refused to grant the same authorization to the City of Luxembourg a few months ago, there is no objective reason in itself to justify such a ban.

And just when the new government announced a few weeks ago that it would make the fight against poverty one of the top priorities of its mandate, the OGBL notes with horror that one of the first enforceable acts adopted by the new liberal-conservative coalition is precisely to stigmatize, harass and, where appropriate, punish the main victims of poverty.

The OGBL calls on the government to reverse its decision and quickly present an action plan to combat poverty.

Poverty must be fought! And you certainly can’t fight poverty by attacking those who are its first victims.

 

OGBL press release
December 14, 2023