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    "localId": "486500096",
    "label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Belgium and Luxembourg, Situation Report 19",
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    "id": "486500096",
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    "title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Belgium and Luxembourg, Situation Report 19",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500096",
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 16,
            "logicalDate": "1948-11-16",
            "month": 11,
            "year": 1948
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{
    "seq": 67,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875506/875506-02-067.tif",
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    "ocrText": "SECRET\nwhich are broken down into cantons, each of which comprises a certain number of com-\nmunes. The heads of the districts and the burgomasters of the communes are ap-\npointed by the Crown, but each commune has a popularly elected body to handle local\naffairs.\nC. Political Parties and Current Issues.\n(1) Political Parties.\nAs a predominantly Catholic country, Luxembourg naturally has a strong\nChristian Social (Catholic) Party, which controls twenty-two of the fifty-one Chamber\nof Deputies' seats. However, during and after the first World War, an extremist left-\nwing developed which agitated strongly for a republic and for socialization of industry.\nThe reigning Duchess subsequently abdicated, not so much because of the radical\nrepublican demonstrations, but because of general dissatisfaction with her pro-German\nsympathies and because of French pressure for her removal. However, a referendum\nheld in September 1919, showed the people to be overwhelmingly in favor of con-\ntinuing the monarchy. Since that time, fear of interference or invasion by foreign\npowers has generally overshadowed party differences on important issues.\nThe present Cabinet, formed in March 1947, is the third since the return\nof the exiled Government in 1944, with changes made in two ministries in July 1948.\nThe Cabinet is a coalition of the Christian Social Party and the conservative Patriotic\nand Democratic Group. The elections in October 1945 resulted in the replacement of\nthe Government-in-exile by a three-party coalition which included the Socialists. Dis-\nagreement over Government policy between the Socialists and Catholics, however,\ncaused the Cabinet to resign, and the present one was formed, putting the Socialists\nin the Opposition with the Communists.\nThe 1945 elections showed a consolidation of the Right and a strengthen-\ning of the extreme Left at the expense of the Center. However, the increased support\nof the Communists from the Socialist following was believed to be temporary, as con-\nsiderable Communist strength seemed to come from workers who collaborated with\nthe Germans and were discharged, not by the employers, but by their trade unions. In\nthe June 1948 elections for 26 of the 51 Chamber seats, the prewar position of the So-\ncialists was partially restored, at the expense of the Christian Democrats. Although\nthe Communists retained the same number of seats, they received fewer popular votes\nthan in 1945.\nThere are four major parties in Luxembourg:\n(a) the Christian Social Party, which is supported by members of the\nCatholic Church from all social and income levels, is conservative, but is influenced by\na strong labor group within its ranks;\n(b) the Socialist Party, which has its greatest strength in the industrial\nareas and advocates moderate social and economic reforms;\n(c) the Patriotic and Democratic Group, which succeeded the old Radical\nLiberal Party but included resistance elements, and has a secular and moderately\nconservative approach; and\n(d) the Communist Party, which evidently includes a small nucleus of\n59\nSECRET"
}