An ''échevin'' (; ), sometimes translated as
alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...
, is a member of the administration of a
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
ish
commune. Together, they form the ''collège échevinal'' (), which helps the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
run the administration. In most communes, ''échevins'' have designated roles within the administration, adopting separate briefs as in a
cabinet.
''Échevins'' are elected by the commune's council, and represent the make-up of the governing
coalition
A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces.
Formation
According to ''A G ...
. Formally, ''échevins'' of
cities
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
are nominated by the
Grand Duke
Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly:
* in ...
, whilst those of other communes are named by the
Minister for the Interior
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
. ''Échevins'' must be members of the communal council and hold Luxembourgian nationality.
Most communes have two ''échevins'', but more populous ones are allowed more if granted that right by
Grand Ducal decree
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was created from territory of the former Duchy of Luxembourg. It was in personal union with the United Kingdom of t ...
: communes with 10,000 to 19,999 inhabitants may have 3 ''échevins'', communes with 20,000 or more may have 4 ''échevins'', and
Luxembourg City
Luxembourg (; ; ), also known as Luxembourg City ( or ; ; or ), is the capital city of Luxembourg and the Communes of Luxembourg, country's most populous commune. Standing at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers in southern Luxe ...
may have up to six.
Notes
References
Administrative code on the organisation of communes
Local government in Luxembourg
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