In the age of the digitalization and continuous development of new technologies companies change. They are ever more specialized, yet still dependent on a stable economic environment which fosters innovation. A modern economy encourages entrepreneurship, is scientific, connected, socially responsible and ecological. To promote enterprise on every level and encouraging the creation of new companies are the premises of my political action that valorises the action of enterprise.

Living freely means living happy. Equality of chances, access to formation and information, in a context of social and environmental security are the bases of a modern and fair State. A universal basic income reassures and liberates. It allows everybody to develop their talents while respecting individual freedoms. The universal basic income is a concept necessary for the third industrial revolution, which transforms the relationship between work and workers. It allows us to be truly free.

The climate crisis forces us to rethink our approach to consumption. It’s why a competitive economy focuses on efficiency, connectivity and durability. Science, information technology and communication becoming more performant by the day allow us to reduce our ecological footprint. To foster new eco-innovative companies and approaches we need to strengthen access to education and knowledge. The ecological transition can’t take place without a sustainable economy and scientific and creative competitivity.

Digitalization offers many advantages. Whether it allows us to diversify our economy, better protect the environment or increase political participation. Digitalization allows people to put their talents to work for the collectivity and the economy, it allows us to better manage scarce resources and it revolutionizes the relationship between citizens and politicians. For over ten years now, the Pirate Party promotes the chances of digitalization as a decision making and participation enhancing framework while trying to reduce negative impacts.

In the age of massive private data collection and algorithmic decision making we need best practices and strong legal frameworks to protect the fundamental rights of our citizens. Ensuring this framework needs to be an absolute priority for policy makers. Each and every disproportionate or abusive data collection and use must be forbidden. The GAFA need to be better regulated when it comes to the use of the trove of personal data they amassed over the years. We need to have a level playing field between nations and multinational corporations to protect democracy and ensure democratic processes are regulating markets and not the other way around.

Digitalization is synonym for technological progress but besides simply allowing scientific innovation it needs to democratize access to knowledge and guarantee to every citizen an active participation in decision making as well as in his education. In order to guarantee that digitalization constitutes a chance for everyone and will not be reserved to the wealthy elites we have to enable everybody to access information technology. To be connected has to be a fundamental right. Thus, we need to guarantee that access to internet and means of communication shouldn’t depend on your financial or social situation. It needs to be democratized on a large scale.

New technologies are the basis for a new conception of a form of democracy that fully implicates its citizens in the political decision making. It’s liquid democracy. This concept of citizen participation is a synthesis of direct democracy and representative democracy. While maintaining elected representative’s liquid democracy allows citizens to become more involved in politics and shift their political weight through a more nuanced approach.

The website www.fro.lu allows citizens to control their government more than ever. Everybody can propose parliamentarian questions which can, after verification through our parliamentary staff, be asked in parliament. This tool brings citizens and parliamentary work closer together. No need any more to know a member of parliament personally. Fro.lu illustrates the participative approach to direct democracy which is part of the pirate party DNA.

A permanent citizen dialogue in the Grand-Duchy has the goal to reduce the democratic deficit in Luxembourg, to promote participation, to showcase the work of politicians and to reduce populist tendencies by enabling a broader consensus and behind the scenes look. This citizens dialogue should follow the model already in place in the German-speaking part of Belgium and be composed of a citizen council and citizen assembly. It should reduce barriers between citizens and politicians as well as better represent macro-trends in politics.