OCTOBER 20, 2024 — An official petition to adopt the “Roude Leiw” (Red Lion) as the national flag of Luxembourg was opened on Friday, October 18, following its approval by the Petitions Commission, reported L’essentiel.
The petition, initiated by Luxembourg citizen Lenny Haag in September, calls for replacing the current tricolour flag with the red lion, a symbol of the country’s historical and cultural identity.
The petition argues that the existing tricolour flag, though officially recognized since 1972, lacks distinctiveness and often causes confusion with the flag of the Netherlands. “The current flag, although recognized, lacks uniqueness and creates confusion with other countries, in particular the Netherlands,” Haag states in the petition. “The adoption of this flag would offer greater recognition of our heritage while consolidating national unity around a strong and distinctive symbol.”
The Luxembourg tricolour flag, known as “Rout, wäiß, blo” (Red, White, Blue), was officially adopted in 1972. Its design closely resembles that of the Dutch flag, though the shades of blue differ slightly—Luxembourg uses a sky blue, while the Netherlands uses ultramarine, according to Luxembourg’s website.
The “Roude Leiw” flag, on the other hand, is based on the coat of arms of Luxembourg, which dates back to the 13th century. It was devised between 1235 and 1239 by Henri V, Count of Luxembourg. The flag features a red lion on a striped background. Notably, the flag is also used in the Belgian province of Luxembourg.
The petition, overseen by the Luxembourg government, requires 4,500 signatures within six weeks to be eligible for debate in the Chamber of Deputies, according to their website. As of today, the petition has garnered 422 signatures, with 40 days remaining.
Efforts to adopt the Roude Leiw as the national flag are not new. In 2006, CSV MP Michel Wolter proposed legislation to replace the tricolour flag with the red lion. In July 2007, then-Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed that the tricolour would remain Luxembourg’s national flag for international representation, though the Roude Leiw could be used domestically.
Another petition to adopt the Roude Leiw was launched in 2015, but it did not gather the necessary 4,500 signatures for a debate.
Image: Pjotr Mahhonin, CC BY-SA 4.0