Through August the Government received 703 requests for refugee status and expected to receive over 1,300 total applications during the year. Most of the applicants are Albanian or from the former Yugoslavia. The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government Luxembourg is a multiparty democracy. Suffrage is universal for citizens 18 years of age and above, and balloting is secret. National parliamentary elections are held every 5 years.
Women are active in political life.
The mayors of several major municipalities, including the capital, are women. Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights Human rights groups operate without government restriction. Government officials are cooperative and responsive to their views. The law prohibits racial, sexual, or social discrimination, and the Government enforces these provisions. Blatant societal discrimination occurs only rarely.