The Fondation du Mérite européen has as its Honorary President,
the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Minister of State.

Xavier Bettel was born on 3 March 1973 in Luxembourg City. He has been married to Gauthier Destenay since the 15th May, 2015.

After secondary school, Xavier Bettel was awarded a Master’s degree in Public and European law and a Diplôme d'Études Approfondies (DEA) in Political Science and Public Law from the University of Nancy. As an Erasmus student he also studied Maritime Law and Ecclesiastical Law at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

From 2001 to 2013, Xavier Bettel practised as a barrister in Luxembourg.

Having been a member of the Democratic Party (DP) since 1989, Xavier Bettel was first elected to the Luxembourgish parliament, the Chambre des Députés (Chamber of Deputies), in 1999, at the age of 26, in the constituency of the Centre. He was re-elected in 2004, 2009 and 2013.  He has also been a member of the Conseil communal de Luxembourg (Communal Council) since 2000 and was appointed, on the 28th November 2005, alderman in the Council of Luxembourg City. Following municipal elections in 2011, Xavier Bettel became mayor of Luxembourg City.