Luxembourg's PM due to resign over intelligence scandal
Luxembourg - Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was expected Thursday to tender his government's resignation, after failing to convince coalition and opposition parties that he was not responsible for a scandal involving the SREL intelligence
Juncker is the European Union's longest-serving prime minister after 18 years in office, having gained prominence as a founding father of the euro and the first president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers.
He lost the support of his Social Democrat coalition partners after a parliamentary inquiry found that he held "political responsibility" for years of malpractice at SREL.
Juncker told parliament during a marathon debate on Wednesday that he would request new elections during a meeting with Grand Duke Henri on Thursday. The veteran premier has indicated that he might run again, according to the Tageblatt daily.
There has been speculation that the snap poll could be held on October 20.
Politics in Luxembourg would get a "new impetus," Social Democrat politician and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told the Luxemburger Wort daily.
The conservative European People's Party (EPP) said Juncker would remain one of its "pillars." "A great European, he also did a lot to put Luxembourg firmly on the map of Europe," said Joseph Daul, the leader of the EPP in the European Parliament. "I am convinced that together, we will continue advancing the European cause."
