Editing Politics of Liechtenstein

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{{Politics of Liechtenstein}}
[[Liechtenstein]] is a principality governed under a [[semi-constitutional monarchy]]. It has a form of [[mixed constitution]] in which political power is shared by the monarch and a democratically elected parliament. There is a [[two-party system]] (though there are two minor parties as well) and a form of [[representative democracy]] in which the prime minister and [[head of government]] is responsible to parliament. However, the [[List of Princes of Liechtenstein|Prince of Liechtenstein]] is [[head of state]] and exercises considerable political powers.

The [[executive power]] is exercised by the [[Cabinet of Liechtenstein]] (government). [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the government and the [[Landtag of Liechtenstein|Landtag]] (Parliament). The party system is dominated by the conservative [[Progressive Citizens' Party]] and the liberal-conservative [[Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein)|Patriotic Union]]. The [[The courts of Liechtenstein|judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The country replaced [[universal male suffrage]] with [[Women's suffrage in Liechtenstein|universal suffrage]] in 1984, following a [[1984 Liechtenstein women's suffrage referendum|national referendum]].

== Constitution ==
The current iteration of the [[Constitution of Liechtenstein]] was [[Liechtenstein constitutional referendum, 2003|adopted in March 2003]], amending the 1921 constitution. The 1921 constitution had established Liechtenstein as a constitutional monarchy headed by the reigning prince of the Princely House of Liechtenstein; a parliamentary system had been established, although the reigning Prince retained substantial political authority.<ref>{{cite news |title=Liechtenstein referendum rejects curbs on royal powers - BBC News |work=BBC News |date=30 June 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18649156}}</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2853991.stm Liechtenstein prince wins powers] BBC News Online, 16 March 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2006.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Reform of the Constitution in 2003 |url=https://www.fuerstenhaus.li/en/monarchy/the-reform-of-the-constitution-in-2003/#button2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102172008/https://www.fuerstenhaus.li/en/monarchy/the-reform-of-the-constitution-in-2003/ |archive-date=2017-01-02}}</ref>

In a [[Liechtenstein constitutional referendum, 2003|national referendum]] in March 2003, nearly two-thirds of the electorate voted in support of [[Hans-Adam II|Hans-Adam II's]] proposed constitutional reform. The proposals were criticised by many, including the [[Council of Europe]], as it expanded the powers of the monarchy (extending monarch's power of veto law, increasing his executive authority, and allowing him to dismiss the government, or any minister, at will). The Prince threatened that if the constitution failed, he would, among other things, convert some princely property for commercial use and move to Austria.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2853991.stm "Liechtenstein Prince wins powers"]. ''BBC News''. 16 March 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2006.</ref> The princely family and the Prince enjoy tremendous public support inside the nation, and the resolution passed with about 64% in favour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IFES Election Guide – Election Profile for Liechtenstein – Results |url=http://www.electionguide.org/results.php?ID=326 |access-date=1 July 2012 |website=Electionguide.org}}</ref> A proposal to revoke the Prince's veto powers was rejected by 76% of voters in a [[Liechtenstein constitutional referendum, 2012|2012 referendum]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 July 2012 |title=Liechtenstein votes to keep prince's veto |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-liechtenstein-vote-prince-idUSBRE86008W20120701 |access-date=1 July 2012}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
{{Office-table}}
|[[List of Princes of Liechtenstein|Prince]]
|[[Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein|Hans-Adam II]]
|
|13 November 1989
|-
|[[List of Princes of Liechtenstein|Prince-regent]]
|[[Prince Alois of Liechtenstein|Alois]]
|
|15 August 2004
|-
|[[List of Liechtenstein Heads of Government|Prime Minister]]
|[[Brigitte Haas]]
|[[Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein)|Patriotic Union]]
|10 April 2025
|}
[[File:Hans-Adam II 2025 (cropped).jpg|256px|thumb|[[Hans-Adam II]], Prince of Liechtenstein]]

The monarch of Liechtenstein is hereditary. Following legislative elections, the head of government is appointed by the prince and proposed and voted on by the parliament. Thus the government is usually composed of the members of the majority party. It is, however, also customary that the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch.
According to the constitution of [[Liechtenstein]], the government is a collegiate body and consists of the head of government and four governmental councilors.

Amendments to the constitution or new laws have to be adopted by Parliament, signed by both the Prince and the head of government, and published in the Principality's Law Gazette.

[[Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein|Prince Hans Adam II]] is the current head of state. His constitutional powers include the power to veto any legislation, to be used at his discretion, as well as the dissolution of the parliament (this may be subject to a referendum). He represents the state vis-à-vis foreign states. He signs international treaties either in person or delegates this function to a plenipotentiary. Some treaties under international law become valid only when they have been ratified by Parliament. On the basis of the names put forward by Parliament, the Prince nominates the government, district and high court judges, the judges of the Supreme Court, and the presidents and their deputies of the Constitutional Court and of the Administrative Court of Appeal.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1066002.stm#leaders Country profile: Liechtenstein - Leaders] BBC News, 6 December 2006. Retrieved 29 December 2006.</ref> The Prince's other authorities include exercising the right to mitigate and commute punishments that have been imposed with legal force and the abolition — i.e., the dismissal — of investigations that have been initiated. All judgments are issued in the name of the Prince.

In August 2004, Prince Hans-Adam handed over the day-to-day running of the country to his son, Crown Prince [[Alois of Liechtenstein|Alois]], while still remaining the official head of state.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17536864| title = Liechtenstein profile - Leaders - BBC News| work = BBC News| date = 28 March 2012}}</ref>

=== Government ===
{{See also|List of cabinets of Liechtenstein}}[[File:Liechtenstein asv2022-10 img23 Vaduz Regierungsgebäude.jpg|thumb|[[Government Building, Vaduz]]]]
The Government of Liechtenstein is based on the principle of [[collegiality]]; namely, of colleagues collaborating with each other. The government consists of the head of government and four Councilors. The members of the government are proposed by the Parliament and are appointed by the Prince. Only men or women born in Liechtenstein, and who are eligible to be elected to Parliament, may be elected to the government committee. The two electoral areas of the country, the highlands and the lowlands, are entitled to at least two members of the government, and their respective deputies must come from the same area.<ref>[http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/eliechtenstein_main_sites/portal_fuerstentum_liechtenstein/fl-staat-staat/fl-staat-regierung.htm Principality of Liechtenstein - Government] accessed 11 January 2010</ref>

According to the constitution, the cabinet shall consist of the Prime Minister and four other Ministers. The Prime Minister and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Reigning Prince with the agreement of Parliament and on its proposal. On the proposal of Parliament, one of the Ministers shall be appointed by the Reigning Prince as the Deputy Prime Minister. If an individual Minister should lose the confidence of the Reigning Prince or of Parliament, the decision on the loss of the authority of the Minister to exercise his functions shall be taken by mutual agreement of the Reigning Prince and Parliament. Until a new Minister has been appointed, the official duties of the Minister shall be performed by the Minister's alternate.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 November 2002 |orig-date=5 October 1921 |title=CONSTITUTION OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN |url=https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL(2002)145-e#:~:text=The%20Principality%20is%20a%20constitutional,provisions%20of%20the%20present%20Constitution. |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION) |pages=22–23 |publication-place=[[Strasbourg]]}}</ref>

==Legislative branch==
[[File:Liechtenstein asv2022-10 img17 Vaduz Landtag.jpg|thumb|[[Landtag of Liechtenstein|Parliament of Liechtenstein]]]]
The Prince's involvement in legislation consists in a right to take initiatives in the form of government bills and in the right to veto parliamentary proposals. The Prince has the power to enact princely decrees. Emergency princely decrees are possible when the security and welfare of the country is at stake. A countersignature by the head of government is, nevertheless, required. The Prince has the right to convene and adjourn parliament and, for serious reasons, to adjourn it for 3 months or to dissolve it.

The '''[[Landtag of Liechtenstein]]''' has 25 members, elected for a four-year term by [[proportional representation]] in two multi-seat [[constituency|constituencies]]. Until 1989, 15 members represented the population of the two constituencies (six for the lowland area and nine for the highland area). Since 1989 the lowland constituency has been entitled to have 10 members and the highland area 15.
The Landtag's main task is to discuss and adopt resolutions on constitutional proposals and draft government bills. It has the additional duties of giving its assent to important international treaties; of electing members of the government, judges, and board members of the Principality's institutions; setting the annual budget and approving taxes and other public charges; and supervising the administration of the state.
The Landtag observes its rights and duties in the course of sessions of the whole Landtag and through the parliamentary commissions that it elects. All members of the Landtag exercise their mandates in addition to their normal professions or occupations. The [[List of Presidents of the Landtag of Liechtenstein|President of the Landtag]] and his deputy are both elected at the opening meeting for the current year. The president convenes the individual meetings during the session, leads them, and represent the Landtag externally.<ref>[http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/eliechtenstein_main_sites/portal_fuerstentum_liechtenstein/fl-staat-staat/fl-staat-landtag/fl-staat-landtagswahlen.htm Principality of Liechtenstein website - Parliamentary elections] accessed 11 January 2010</ref> During the parliamentary recess — normally from January to February/March — a "state committee" assumes Parliament's duties, and such a committee must also be elected in the case of any adjournment or dissolution of Parliament. A "state committee" consists of the president of Parliament and four other members.<ref>[http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/eliechtenstein_main_sites/portal_fuerstentum_liechtenstein/fl-staat-staat/fl-staat-landtag/fl-staat-organisation.htm Principality of Liechtenstein website - Parliamentary Organization] accessed 11 January 2010</ref>
The duties and working procedures of Parliament are laid down in the constitution and in Parliament's standing orders.

Moreover, the people of Liechtenstein have very strong direct democratic rights.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} If called for by at least 1,000 citizens, a referendum on any law can be initiated. Referendums can suspend parliament or change the constitution, but at least 1500 citizens must vote affirmative, so referendums to suspend parliament or change the constitution fail if they have low turnout even if the required percentage of total voters is met.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==Political parties and elections==
{{Elect|List of political parties in Liechtenstein|Elections in Liechtenstein}}
The political parties are in practice politically decisive and are the moving forces with regard to the composition of the government. In the 2001-05 legislature period of office, one Councillor and three deputies were women.

From 1938 to 1997 Liechtenstein had a [[coalition government]]. Until recently there were only two parties in Parliament: the [[Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein)|Patriotic Union]] and the [[Progressive Citizens' Party]]. Liechtenstein's distinctive form of coalition government came to an end in April 1997, when the Patriotic Union won an absolute majority of seats. It took sole responsibility for the government during the 1997 to 2001 Parliament, with its members filling all the positions on the government committee. Between 2001 and 2009, the Progressive Citizen's Party formed the government, winning an absolute majority in the 2001 elections<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.landtagswahlen.li/?tid=results&weid=61&archiv=1&mp=a161&mpopen=1 |title= Landtagswahlen 2001 - Ergebnisse vom 01.01.2001|trans-title= Parliamentary elections 2001 - results as of January 1, 2001|language= de|publisher= Presse- und Informationsamts des Fürstentums Liechtenstein|date= 2001-01-01|access-date= 2012-04-10}}</ref> and the most seats in the 2005 elections.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.landtagswahlen.li/?tid=results&weid=57&mp=572&mpopen=we57 |title= Landtagswahlen 2005 - Ergebnisse vom 11.03.2005|trans-title= Parliamentary elections 2005 - results as of March 11, 2005|language= de|publisher= Presse- und Informationsamts des Fürstentums Liechtenstein|date= 2005-03-11|access-date= 2012-04-10}}</ref> The Patriotic Union once again won an absolute majority of seats in the February 2009 elections.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.landtagswahlen.li/?tid=results&weid=62&mp=622&mpopen=we62 |title= Landtagswahlen 2009 - Ergebnisse vom 08.02.2009|trans-title= Parliamentary elections 2009 - results as of February 8, 2009|language= de|publisher= Presse- und Informationsamts des Fürstentums Liechtenstein|date= 2009-08-02|access-date= 2012-04-10}}</ref> Minority parties, as opposition parties, act as a check on the government in Parliament and on parliamentary commissions.

=== Last election ===
{{Main article|2025 Liechtenstein general election}}
{{#section-h:2025 Liechtenstein general election|Results}}

==Judicial branch==
{{Main article|The courts of Liechtenstein}}

The main part of the Judicial Branch of Liechtenstein is made up of the Supreme Court ({{langx|de|Oberster Gerichtshof}}), the Princely Court of Appeals ({{langx|de|Fürstliches Obergericht|lit=Princely Higher Court}}), and the Princely Court of Justice ({{langx|de|Fürstliches Landgericht|lit=Princely Land Court}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liechtenstein Court System |url=https://www.ejn-crimjust.europa.eu/ejn2021/ContentDetail/EN/5/34}}</ref>

In the sphere of administrative law, there is also the Administrative Court, and in the sphere of constitutional law there is the State Court.

==Administrative divisions==
Liechtenstein is divided into eleven communes (''{{Langx|de|Gemeinden}}''); [[Balzers]], [[Eschen]], [[Gamprin]], [[Mauren]], [[Planken]], [[Ruggell]], [[Schaan]], [[Schellenberg]], [[Triesen]], [[Triesenberg]], and [[Vaduz]].

=== Municipalities ===
[[Municipalities of Liechtenstein]] are entitled under the constitution to secede from the union by majority vote.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 February 2009 |title=Constitution of Liechtenstein |url=http://www.llv.li/verfassung-e-01-02-09.doc.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227081540/http://www.llv.li/verfassung-e-01-02-09.doc.pdf |archive-date=27 December 2013 |quotation=Chapter I, Article 4}}</ref>

The autonomy of the Liechtenstein communities is in the upper range compared to the other Central European states along with Switzerland. Despite their small size, the municipalities have complex forms in terms of their territorial extent: in addition to a main part, seven municipalities also include one or more [[Exclave|exclaves]]. Citizens' cooperatives, which exist in about half of Liechtenstein's municipalities, own forests and pastures for [[Collective farming|collective use]], as well as parceled areas that are left for private use.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

The municipalities of Liechtenstein are divided between the two electoral districts of Unterland and Oberland. This division is historical; the Unterland depends{{clarify|date=July 2023}} on Schellenberg, the Oberland on the county of Vaduz.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oberland – Historisches Lexikon |url=https://historisches-lexikon.li/Oberland |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=historisches-lexikon.li |language=de}}</ref>

== International organization participation ==
Liechtenstein is a member of the following organizations:
*[[Council of Europe]] 
*[[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development|EBRD]] 
*[[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe|U.N. Economic Commission for Europe]] 
*[[European Free Trade Association]]
*[[International Atomic Energy Agency]]
*[[International Criminal Court]]
*[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]]
*[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]]
*[[Intelsat]], [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]]
*[[International Olympic Committee]]
*[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]]
*[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]]
*[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe]]
*[[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]]
*[[United Nations]]
*[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]]
*[[Universal Postal Union]], [[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]]
*[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]
*[[World Trade Organization]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Liechtenstein topics}}
{{Politics of Europe}}

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[[Category:Politics of Liechtenstein| ]]

[[de:Liechtenstein#Politik]]