General elections are scheduled to be held in Liechtenstein on 9 February 2025 to elect the 25 members of the Landtag.[1][2] They will be the 49th general elections since the ratification of the 1862 constitution.
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All 25 seats in the Landtag 13 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Background and campaign
editIn the 2021 Liechtenstein general election, the Patriotic Union and Progressive Citizens' Party both won 10 seats each.[3] As a result, the two parties formed a coalition government, ultimately under Daniel Risch of the Patriotic Union.[3][4] The Free List and Democrats for Liechtenstein received 12.9% and 11.1% of the vote in 2021 respectively.[5] A new political party, People at the Center, was formed in 2022.[6]
On 19 February 2024, Daniel Risch declared his intention to not run for re-election.[7][8] In addition, in an interview with 1 FL TV, incumbent President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein, Albert Frick announced that he will not be running for re-election.[9]
On 13 August 2024, the Progressive Citizens' Party nominated former President of the Landtag Ernst Walch for prime minister.[10] At 68 years old, he is the oldest candidate in Liechtenstein's history.[11] He has declared his intention to only serve one term as prime minister should he be elected.[12]
In February 2024, the newspaper Liechtensteiner Vaterland conducted a survey which suggested that only 25% of voters would support another coalition government between the Patriotic Union and Progressive Citizens' Party.[13] The Democrats for Liechtenstein, led by Thomas Rehak, are expected to receive a significantly increased share of the vote from 2021.[14]
Polling
edit| Source | Date | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VU | FBP | FL | DpL | DU | MiM | Other | ||
| Demoscope[14] | 20 June 2024 | 25% | 23% | 14% | 23% | — | — | — |
| Vaterland[15] | 13 July 2023 | 14.70% | 16.19% | 5.17% | 41.46% | 0.71% | 14.75% | 7.02% |
Electoral system
editThe 25 members of the Landtag are elected by open list proportional representation from two constituencies, Oberland with 15 seats and Unterland with 10 seats. Voters vote for a party list and then may strike through candidates they do not wish to cast a preferential vote for and may add names of candidates from other lists.[16] The electoral threshold to win a seat is 8%.[17] Landtag members sit four year terms.[16] Once formed, the Landtag votes to elect a prime minister who governs through a cabinet of four ministers, who are selected from Landtag members.[16][18] Voting is compulsory by law and most is carried out by post. Polling stations are open only for one and a half hours on election day. Citizens over 18 years of age who have been resident in the country for one month prior to election day are eligible to vote.[16]
On 25 February 2024 Liechtenstein voters were asked in a referendum if members of government should be directly elected, a proposal that would have affected the 2025 general election if successful.[19][20] However, the proposal was rejected by voters.[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Termin für Landtagswahlen steht: 9. Februar 2025". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 13 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Liechtenstein – Elections". IPU Parline. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Liechtenstein election: Just 23 ballots separate two biggest parties". Euronews. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "New Government Sworn In". liechtensteinusa.org. Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington D.C. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ "Landtagswahlen 2021 – Ergebnisse". Principality of Liechtenstein. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Frommelt: "Das Parteienspektrum könnte sich schon noch weiter ausdiff erenzieren"" (PDF). Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Alle drei VU-Regierungsräte kandidieren 2025 nicht mehr". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Quaderer, Elias (19 February 2024). "Aus diesen Gründen tritt das bisherige VU-Regierungsteam 2025 nicht mehr an". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Landtagspräsident tritt nicht mehr an". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
- ^ "Ernst Walch tritt als Regierungschef für die FBP an". FBP Liechtenstein (in German). 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Präsentation des FBP-Regierungsteams für die Landtagswahlen 2025". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Quaderer, Elias (14 August 2024). "Ernst Walch will FBP-Regierungschef werden – aber nur für vier Jahre". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ Sele, David (28 February 2024). "Nur 25 Prozent wollen eine Grosse Koalition aus FBP und VU". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ a b Sele, David (3 July 2024). "Trend: VU und FBP stürzen ab, DpL auf 23 Prozent". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Goop, Dunja (13 July 2023). "Thomas Milic zu DpL-Umfragehoch: «Das wäre ein Jahrhundertergebnis»". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Principality of Liechtenstein: Parliamentary Elections 7 February 2021" (PDF). Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. OSCE. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ Article 55 (1) of the Volksrechtegesetz (Law of People's Rights) Gesetze.li
- ^ "Liechtenstein election: Just 23 ballots separate two biggest parties". Euronews. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Abstimmung über das Initiativbegehren "Einbezug des Volkes bei der Bestellung der Regierung" am 25. Februar 2024". www.llv.li (in German). Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ "Volkswahl der Regierung: Tag der Abstimmung steht fest". liwelt.li. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ "Abstimmung über die «Volkswahl der Regierung» (25 February 2024)". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.