On November 19, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg visited the States General. Grand Duke Guillaume V was received by Senate President Mei Li Vos and House of Representatives President Thom van Campen. The Grand Duke of Luxembourg succeeded his father Henri on October 3. The visit to the Netherlands is part of a series of introductory visits he is making as the new head of state.
In her welcome speech, Mei Li Vos referred to the similarities between Luxembourg and the Netherlands: Besides a shared history, our countries have almost the same flag. There is a small difference in the shade of blue and the dimensions of the flag. That is apparently confusing for others, but our countries know very well what the difference is. The same applies to our national anthem. You say De Wilhelmus and we say Het Wilhelmus. Comparable, but not the same.
Vos continued: But the most important thing is our shared future. A future in which the good relations between our countries are continued. And a future within the framework of international cooperation such as the Benelux Union, the European Union, NATO and the United Nations. Your visit today underscores the importance of the good relations between our countries.
Then it was the turn of House of Representatives President Van Campen. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and also together with Belgium within the Benelux Union and in particular the Benelux Parliament: Established in 1955, the Benelux Parliament brings together representatives from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to discuss cross-border issues, from economy and climate to culture and social affairs. It is a unique forum where representatives of our three countries exchange ideas, build consensus and seek solutions for shared challenges.
