The communal elections in Luxembourg are a good opportunity to discuss the voting rights of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg Prince Guillaume. In a constitutional monarchy, how does the sovereign exercise his right to vote? Luxemburger Wort spoke to Luc Heuschling, Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Luxembourg to find out the answer. Heuschling is also the author of the book “Le Citoyen Monarque. Réflexions sur le grand-duc, la famille grand-ducale et le droit de vote ” (Monarch and citizen. Reflections on the Grand Duke, the Grand Ducal Family and the right to vote” published in 2013. On Sunday the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg Guillaume and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Stéphanie exercised their voting rights as citizens of Luxembourg.
… According to current practice and as per the law, Guillaume de Nassau is registered on the electoral register and has the right and even the obligation to vote.
On the other hand, the question of whether he could run as a candidate for a political election at a local, national or European level is not settled.
Based on my analysis, the heir or heiress to the throne enjoys the “active” right to vote, but doesn’t have the “passive” right to stand an election, as per the “neutrality” obligation that applies to the incumbent Head of State and by extension also to the heir to the throne of Luxembourg.