| 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
