SDR - Annual Report - 2019

In 2019, the Ombudsman of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg continued his work to improve relations between citizens and the administration, emphasising the importance of empathy, transparency and clear administrative communication. Despite progress in several departments, the report still highlights numerous cases where inflexibility, administrative silence or arbitrary decisions have adversely affected members of the public. The Ombudsman reiterates that well-reasoned, comprehensible decisions tailored to people’s actual circumstances are essential to ensuring trust in public institutions. He also highlights particularly sensitive situations, such as those relating to immigration, social assistance or housing, where the human consequences can be severe when rules are applied without nuance.

Out of a total of 975 complaints lodged, 469 were deemed admissible, and 87.3 per cent of the Ombudsman’s interventions resulted in a full or partial correction of the contested decision – a rate that has risen significantly compared with previous year. The complaints mainly concerned the areas of social assistance (REVIS, cost-of-living allowance), international protection and family reunification, taxation, civil status, town and country planning, housing and transport. The report highlights numerous concrete examples illustrating the difficulties faced by citizens, as well as cases where the administration has demonstrated flexibility or carried out a fair review of its decisions. The Ombudsman concludes by calling for a further strengthening of the administrative culture of dialogue and fairness, which is essential to prevent injustices and maintain public trust.