Luc Frieden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luc Frieden
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Frieden in 2025
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| Prime Minister of Luxembourg | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2023 |
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| Monarch | Henri |
| Deputy | Xavier Bettel |
| Preceded by | Xavier Bettel |
| Minister of Finances | |
| In office 23 July 2009 – 4 December 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Gramegna |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 31 July 2004 – 22 February 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Charles Goerens |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Louis Schiltz |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 30 January 1998 – 23 July 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Marc Fischbach |
| Succeeded by | François Biltgen |
| Minister of the Treasury and Budget | |
| In office 30 January 1998 – 23 July 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | Marc Fischbach |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 24 October 2023 – 17 November 2023 |
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| Constituency | Centre |
| In office 5 December 2013 – 15 September 2014 |
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| Constituency | Centre |
| In office 12 June 1994 – 30 January 1998 |
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| Constituency | Centre |
| President of the Christian Social People’s Party | |
| Assumed office 16 March 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Elisabeth Margue |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 September 1963 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg |
| Political party | Christian Social People's Party |
| Spouse |
Marjolijne Droogleever Fortuyn
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Luxembourg Pantheon-Sorbonne University Queens' College, Cambridge Harvard University |
| Occupation | Politician • lawyer • banker • financier |
Luc Frieden (born 16 September 1963) is a Luxembourgish politician and lawyer. He has been the Prime Minister of Luxembourg since November 2023. He is a member of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV).
Before becoming Prime Minister, he held many important jobs in the Luxembourg government between 1998 and 2013. He was in charge of the Treasury and Budget when Luxembourg changed its money from the Franc to the Euro. He was also the Minister of Finance during a tough time for Europe's economy, known as the European debt crisis.
In early 2023, he was chosen to lead his party, the CSV, in the general elections that October. His party won the election, and he became Prime Minister on 17 November 2023. He took over from Xavier Bettel.
Contents
Education and Early Life
Luc Frieden finished high school at the Athénée de Luxembourg. After that, he studied at universities in France, the UK, and the US. He earned a degree in business law from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. He also got a master's degree in law from Queens' College, Cambridge and another law degree from Harvard Law School.
Besides speaking Luxembourgish, he is fluent in English, German, and French. He also understands Dutch, which is his wife's first language.
Starting in Politics (1994–1998)
In 1994, Luc Frieden was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. This is like Luxembourg's parliament. He was only 30 years old, making him one of the youngest members at the time.
While in parliament, he led important committees, including the Finance Committee. He also played a key role in setting up a special court for constitutional matters and independent courts for administrative cases in Luxembourg.
Serving as a Minister (1998–2013)
In 1998, at 34, Luc Frieden became the Minister of Justice. He worked in the government led by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker.
He also served as Minister of the Treasury and Budget from 1998 to 2009. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Minister of Defence. Then, from 2009 to 2013, he was the Minister of Finance.
As Minister for the Treasury and Budget, he helped Luxembourg successfully switch from its old money, the Franc, to the euro. As Minister of Finance, he represented Luxembourg at important European meetings. He helped stabilize the Eurozone (the countries using the euro) and shape the European banking union. For 15 years, he was also a Governor for the World Bank. In 2013, he was the chairman of the boards for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.
Working in the Private Sector (2014–2023)
After his time as a minister, Luc Frieden worked in the private sector. In September 2014, he joined Deutsche Bank as a Vice Chairman in London. He advised the bank's leaders on international and European matters. He also led the supervisory board of Deutsche Bank Luxembourg. He left Deutsche Bank in early 2016.
Since 2016, he has been a partner at a law firm in Luxembourg called Elvinger Hoss Prussen. From 2019 to 2023, he was also the President of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, he became the President of Eurochambres, which is a group representing European Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Becoming Prime Minister (2023–Present)
When Luc Frieden decided to return to politics in 2023, he stepped down from all his private sector jobs. He was chosen to be the main candidate for the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) in the national elections that October.
He led his party to win the election, getting 29.21% of the votes and 21 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Since the previous government lost its majority, Grand Duke Henri asked Luc Frieden to form a new government on 9 October 2023. He worked with the CSV and the Democratic Party (DP) to create a new coalition. He officially became Prime Minister on 17 November 2023, taking over from Xavier Bettel.
On 22 November 2023, Prime Minister Frieden presented his government's plans to the Chamber of Deputies. His main goals included making rules simpler, improving digital services, and modernizing the country. He also focused on hiring more police officers, expanding video surveillance, changing tax laws, and giving the private sector a bigger role in healthcare.
His first international visit as Prime Minister was to Olaf Scholz in Berlin on 8 January 2024. On 26 February 2024, Frieden traveled to Paris for an emergency meeting about the situation in Ukraine.
In March 2024, at a Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, Frieden mentioned that he was open to nuclear power. This was a new idea for Luxembourg, which usually opposes nuclear energy. He clarified that Luxembourg would not build its own nuclear reactor. He also said Luxembourg would continue to ask neighboring countries to close their reactors near the Grand-Duchy. However, he believed that research into new nuclear technologies was important. This statement caused some discussion in Luxembourg.
Other Activities
Company Boards
- Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL), Chairman of the Board of Directors (since 2016)
Non-profit Groups
- Trilateral Commission, Member of the European Group
Personal Life
Luc Frieden married Marjolijne Droogleever Fortuyn in 1992. She is a lawyer from the Netherlands whom he met while studying at Cambridge. They have two children.
See also
In Spanish: Luc Frieden para niños
