Luxembourg - Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker's Christian Social Party (CSV) won Luxembourg's general election on Sunday with an increased share of the vote. Television channel RTL showed the CSV up from 36.1 per cent in the last election five years ago to 37.9 per cent, giving it 26 seats in the 60-member legislature.
Juncker's Social Democrat coalition partner, headed by Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, saw its share of the vote drop 2 per cent to 21.6 per cent, giving it 14 seats.
Juncker indicated he favoured continuing with the coalition, but declined to make an official overture to the Social Democrats before consulting with the country's head of state, Grand Duke Henri.
Asselborn also indicated his support for a coalition, saying, "I think we Social Democrats will also be needed in the coming five years."
Juncker, 54, is the EU's longest-serving premier, having first assumed office in 1995. Commenting after the outcome of Sunday's vote, he said the electorate obviously felt political experience was needed in a time of crisis.
Juncker said last week that if returned to power he would step down from the post of finance minister he holds concurrently with the premiership.
However he would maintain responsibility for monetary affairs and relations with the European Central Bank, thus enabling him to stay on as eurogroup chairman.
The CSV has governed Luxembourg since 1944, except for the period from 1974-1979 when the Liberals led by Gaston Thorn were in power.
Sunday's projections showed the Liberals polling just under 15.4 per cent, slightly less than the 16 per cent they achieved in the last elections four years ago.
The Greens were virtually unchanged at 11.4 per cent while the nationalist ADR saw their share of the vote slump for 10 to 8 per cent.
The Left Party gained 3.23 per cent, enabling it to sent a deputy to parliament for the first time.
Sunday's national ballot took place at the same time as the elections for the European Parliament. Luxembourg is the EU's smallest country after Malta.
