A little too much copy and paste: an end-of-studies dissertation by Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, according to the site reporter.lu, comprised 96% of “uncredited loans”. Clearly, this work, submitted to conclude a diploma of in-depth studies (DEA) at the faculty of law and political science at the University of Nancy – now the University of Lorraine – would have been plagiarism.
Mr. Bettel, 48, was 26 at the time. In a half-confession he admitted that“We could have – or should have – done it differently”. the ” we “ seems to designate the student he was at the time, “author” of this 56-page document devoted to an ambitious question: “Towards a possible reform of the European Parliament’s voting systems? “
Claiming to have worked “In all soul and conscience”, the head of the grand-ducal government now relies on the university to “Evaluate” its work and its compliance with the criteria “ of the time “. The one – that was twenty-two years ago – where anti-piracy software didn’t exist. In a statement, the university ensures, in any case, to take the matter seriously and to have launched its own investigation, which could lead to a possible sanction. That Mr. Bettel says he is ready to accept, “Naturally”.
According to reporter.lu, two books, a press article and the content of two websites have been widely marked, without any reference. And, obviously, without arousing the astonishment of the jury.
Sometimes wet, never splashed
If plagiarism cases have led to the resignation of leaders in Germany or Scandinavia, it does not seem, on the other hand, that the liberal leader has to worry about his future. The Luxembourg press has decided not to blame it, and parties, both majority and opposition, have apparently decided to follow suit. The main opposition formation, the Christian Social People’s Party, is itself involved in a politico-financial scandal which concerns several of its members.
In this small country where, they say, “everyone knows each other”, Mr. Bettel remains popular despite a rather atypical profile: he overthrew, in 2013, the conservative majority long embodied by Jean-Claude Juncker, legalized marriage between persons of the same sex, introduced free public transport and very recently announced the legalization of the consumption and cultivation of cannabis. He also innovated by associating the left and the Greens with his liberal party.
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