The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade (, MAE), commonly referred to as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a ministry of the government of Luxembourg, which comprises a general secretariat and eight directorates. The ministry is headquartered in the Bâtiment Mansfeld in Luxembourg City."Contact." Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved on 27 August 2017.
The office of Minister of Foreign Affairs is customarily given to a member of the junior party in a coalition, and usually coincides with that of Deputy Prime Minister. For instance, LSAP politicians Jacques Poos and Jean Asselborn served a combined 34 years as Minister of Foreign Affairs in CSV and DP-led governments, 24 of which as Deputy Prime Minister.
Beginning The position of Minister for Foreign Affairs has been in continuous existence since the promulgation of Luxembourg's first constitution, in 1848. Until 1937, the position was held concurrently by the Prime Minister,Thewes (2003), p. 104 thus ridding it of any true significance as an office. However, in 1937, Joseph Bech resigned as Prime Minister, but was immediately reappointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs upon Pierre Dupong's premiership. When Bech became Prime Minister again, in 1953, the two jobs were united once more.Thewes (2011), p. 141 Over the next twenty-six years, the jobs were separated and united another two times. However, since 1979, the two positions have been kept in separate hands.
Several times since World War II, the minister for foreign affairs has also been the deputy prime minister and leader of the smaller party in a coalition government; this has especially been the case since the 1980s.
Since 24 March 1936, the title of Minister for Foreign Affairs has been an official one, although the position had been unofficially known by that name since its creation. From the position's creation until 28 November 1857, the minister went by the title of Administrator-General. From 1857 until 1936, the minister went by the title of Director-General.
Organisation As of 2017, the Ministry consists of a general secretariat and 8 Directorates: Directorate of Political Affairs Directorate of European Affairs and International Economic Relations Directorate of Protocol and the Chancellery Directorate of Finance and Human Resources Directorate of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action Directorate of Consular Affairs and International Cultural Relations Directorate of Defence Directorate of Immigration
List of ministers Minister Party Start date End date Other posts Prime Minister Gaspard-Théodore-Ignace de la Fontaine None 1 August 1848 2 December 1848 Himself Jean-Jacques Willmar None 2 December 1848 23 September 1853 Himself Charles-Mathias Simons None 23 September 1853 26 September 1860Himself Baron de Tornaco None 26 September 1860 3 December 1867 Himself Emmanuel Servais None 3 December 1867 26 December 1874 Himself Baron de Blochausen None 26 December 1874 20 February 1885 Himself Édouard Thilges None 20 February 1885 22 September 1888 Himself Paul Eyschen None 22 September 1888 11 October 1915 Himself Mathias Mongenast None 12 October 1915 6 November 1915 Himself Hubert Loutsch None 6 November 1915 24 February 1916 Himself Victor Thorn None 24 February 1916 19 June 1917 Himself Léon Kauffman PD 19 June 1917 28 September 1918 Himself Émile Reuter PD 28 September 1918 20 March 1925 Himself Pierre Prüm PNI 20 March 1925 16 July 1926 Himself Joseph Bech PD 16 July 1926 5 November 1937 Himself 5 November 1937 23 November 1944 Pierre Dupong CSV 23 November 1944 29 December 1953 29 December 1953 29 March 1958 Himself 29 March 1958 2 March 1959 Pierre Frieden Eugène Schaus DP 2 March 1959 15 July 1964Deputy Prime Minister Pierre Werner Pierre Werner CSV 15 July 1964 3 January 1967 Pierre Grégoire CSV 3 January 1967 6 February 1969 Gaston Thorn DP 6 February 1969 15 June 1974 15 June 1974 16 July 1979 Himself 16 July 1979 22 November 1980Deputy Prime Minister Pierre Werner Colette Flesch DP 22 November 1980 20 July 1984Deputy Prime Minister Jacques Poos LSAP 20 July 1984 26 January 1995Deputy Prime Minister Jacques Santer 26 January 1995 7 August 1999Deputy Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker Lydie Polfer DP 7 August 1999 20 July 2004Deputy Prime Minister Charles Goerens DP 20 July 2004 31 July 2004 Jean Asselborn LSAP 31 July 2004 4 December 2013Deputy Prime Minister 4 December 2013 17 November 2023 Xavier Bettel Xavier Bettel DP 17 November 2023 Incumbent Deputy Prime Minister Luc Frieden
See also
Foreign relations of Luxembourg List of diplomatic missions of Luxembourg List of diplomatic missions in Luxembourg List of prime ministers of Luxembourg Luxembourg and the United Nations
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