| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Landtag / Diet |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
8 February 2009 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office |
At stake in the February 2009 elections were all 25 seats in the Diet, the unicameral parliament of the principality of 35,000 inhabitants.
In the previous elections held in March 2005, Prime Minister Otmar Hasler's Progressive Citizens Party (FBP) won 12 of the 25 seats. The Patriotic Union (VU) won ten while the Free List (FL) took three. The FBP and the VU subsequently formed a centre-right coalition government, led by Mr. Hasler. Mr. Klaus Tschütscher (VU) became Deputy Prime Minister.
In the run-up to the 2009 elections, a spate of tax-evasion scandals erupted involving wealthy foreigners with bank accounts in Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein had implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the United States entered into force in 2003. However, in 2008, a massive investigation in Germany revealed that some 1,000 Germans holding bank accounts in Liechtenstein had evaded taxes worth over US$1 billion. The scandal spread as German authorities released data on non-Germans who had also evaded taxes. Germany called for greater transparency of Liechtenstein's tax system and banking sector while Liechtenstein's Government insisted that the privacy of bank customers should be protected.
During the election campaign, the main political parties focused on taxes and the economy. 62 candidates, including 18 women, contested seats: 25 each from the FBP and the VU and 12 from the FL.
The FBP promised to work towards a more transparent tax system. Prime Minister Hasler said the government would accept international standards on exchanging tax information on condition that the European Union (EU) negotiated agreements on double taxation. VU leader Tschütscher promised to revise the 2009 budget with a view to passing fiscal legislation compatible with EU norms. He also promised to undertake measures to tackle recession and protect jobs.
The FL, led by Ms. Andrea Matt, reiterated the need to make changes in the banking sector, notably banking secrecy laws. For the first time since its inception in 1985, the FL said it was willing to serve in the new government. The FBP and the VU did not exclude the possibility of forming a coalition government together. However, both parties stated that they would not form a coalition with the FL.
With voting being compulsory, turnout has been traditionally high in Liechtenstein. In 2009, 84.63 per cent of the 18,000 registered electors cast their ballots. Over 80 per cent of voters opted for a postal vote, up from 50 per cent in the 2005 elections.
The final results gave 13 seats to the VU and 11 to the FBP. The FL took one seat. Six women were elected, the same number as in 2005.
Mr. Hasler conceded defeat and announced that he would step down as Prime Minister.
On 18 March, the newly elected Diet held its first session and elected Mr. Arthur Brunhart (VU) as its new Speaker. With the agreement of the Diet, Prince Hans-Adam II appointed Mr. Tschütscher as the new Prime Minister on 25 March. The latter subsequently formed a coalition government comprising the VU and the FBP. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 8 February 2009 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
18'493
15'650 (84.63%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Patriotic Union (VU) |
25 |
|
|
|
47.50 |
|
|
| Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) |
25 |
|
|
|
43.50 |
|
|
| Free List (FL) |
12 |
|
|
|
8.90 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Gain/Loss |
Number of women |
|
|
| Patriotic Union (VU) |
13
|
3 |
4 |
|
|
| Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) |
11
|
-1 |
2 |
|
|
| Free List (FL) |
1
|
-2 |
0 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
19
6
24.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
|
6
7
9
3
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
| Entrepreneur |
6 |
| Legal profession |
4 |
| Civil service and local authority administration |
3 |
| Finance, management or business |
3 |
| Education profession |
2 |
| Physician, dentist |
2 |
| Home-maker, care-taker |
2 |
| Journalism, broadcasting, media |
1 |
| IT/technology |
1 |
| Economist |
1 |
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- Diet (16.02.2009, 09.04.2009)
- http://www.landtagswahlen.li |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
