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1957 Liechtenstein general election

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1957 Liechtenstein general election
← Jun 1953
1 September 1957
1958 →
15 seats in the Landtag
8 seats needed for a majority
Turnout93.39% (Decrease 0.02pp)
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
FBP Alexander Frick 52.36 8 0
VU Otto Schaedler 47.64 7 0
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
A map of Liechtenstein divided by electoral district. The two respective districts of Oberland and Unterland are coloured by the respective winner of the most seats in the district, with blue denoting the Progressive Citizens' Party and red for the Patriotic Union. Similarly, the individual seat distribution in each district is denoted within them.
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Alexander Frick
FBP		 Alexander Frick
FBP

General elections were held in Liechtenstein on 1 September 1957 to elect the 15 members of the Landtag.[1] The Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) won eight seats and retained its majority, while the Patriotic Union (VU) won seven. Voter turnout was 93.4%.

Following the elections, the coalition government between the FBP and VU led by prime minister Alexander Frick remained. The new government was sworn in on 31 December 1957. An electoral complaint was filed by the VU following the election, which resulted in a constitutional amendment and fresh elections being held in 1958.

Background

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In the June 1953 elections the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) retained its majority of eight seats, while the Patriotic Union (VU) won seven.[2] The coalition government under the leadership of Alexander Frick remained.[3][4] The elections had been called early due to the VU members of the Landtag walking out in protest of the FBP rejecting the former's demands to have a majority of the seven-member administrative composition of the old age and survivors' insurance (AHV).[5]

Frick's third term in office oversaw land consolidation in 1956 to strengthen agriculture. It also saw adjustments to the border with Switzerland in 1955, and the signing of a double taxation agreement with Austria the following year.[6]

Electoral system

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The 15 members of the Landtag were elected by open list proportional representation from two constituencies, Oberland with 9 seats and Unterland with 6 seats.[7] Voters vote for a party list and then may strike through candidates for whom they do not wish to cast a preferential vote, and may add names of candidates from other lists.[8] The electoral threshold to win a seat is 18%.[7] Landtag members sit for a four-year term.[9] Once formed, the Landtag elects the prime minister and two government councillors who govern in a cabinet. The prime minister is appointed for a six-year term, while government councillors sit a four-year term.[10] Only men aged 21 and above were eligible to vote.[11][12]

Campaign

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A photograph of Alexander Frick standing while on the telephone in 1960
Alexander Frick, pictured in 1960

Both the FBP and VU campaigned on their respective party newspapers, the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt and Liechtensteiner Vaterland.[13][14] The FBP accused the VU's programme of copying the former, specifically in regards to economic and social policy.[15] Similarly, the FBP appealed to workers, farmers, and tradespeople while accusing the VU of intentionally withholding information from voters.[16] The party campaigned on issues such as the construction of private housing, expanding health insurance, taxation reform, increasing pensions, and the establishment of an agricultural school.[13] The party's candidate for prime minister was the incumbent Frick.[16]

Conversely, the VU also criticized the FBP's programme for being vague and recycled from the VU's own policies. The party argued that Liechtenstein required a change in leadership, and that the VU was ready to assume government leadership.[14] During campaigning, the party also appealed to workers and trade unionists, highlighting the party's achievements in improving worker conditions and claiming credit for the introduction of the AHV.[17] The Volksblatt speculated that former deputy prime minister, Alois Vogt, was the VU's candidate for prime minister should it have won the election.[18]

An electoral group, named the Workers’ and Farmers’ Party of the Liechtenstein Unterland (German: Arbeiter- und Bauernpartei des Liechtensteiner Unterlandes) was formed ahead of the election, but it was not allowed to contest as it did not meet electoral regulations.[19]

Candidates

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Political parties in Liechtenstein require the support of 30 voters from a constituency to be eligible to nominate a candidate list in it.[20] A total of 30 candidates contested the election.[21]

Oberland FBP VU
Unterland FBP VU
Source: Liechtensteiner Vaterland[21]

Results

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The seat distribution remained unchanged from the June 1953 elections, with the FBP winning a majority of eight seats, whereas the VU won seven.[22] Voter turnout was 93.39%.[23]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Progressive Citizens' Party1,68952.3680
Patriotic Union1,53747.6470
Total3,226100.00150
Valid votes3,22698.00
Invalid/blank votes662.00
Total votes3,292100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,52593.39
Source: Vogt[22]

By electoral district

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Electoral district Seats Electorate Party Elected members Substitutes Votes % Seats +/–
Oberland 9 2,353 Patriotic Union
1,062 50.2 5 0
Progressive Citizens' Party
1,053 49.8 4 0
Unterland 6 1,172 Progressive Citizens' Party
636 57.2 4 0
Patriotic Union
475 42.8 2 0
Source: Vogt[22]

Aftermath

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Following the elections, the coalition government between the FBP and VU under the leadership of Frick remained.[3][4] The new government was sworn in on 31 December 1957.[24]

The VU filed an electoral complaint following the election, alleging that citizens who had given up their residency in the country were allowed to vote in the Unterland electoral district. The FBP rejected this demand in the Landtag,[25] but at the request of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein both parties agreed to amended the constitution to make it so that the Liechtenstein state court would decide on electoral complaints instead of the Landtag. The amendment also made it so that scheduled elections must be held in February or March. As per the agreement, fresh elections were held in 1958.[25][26]

References

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  1. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver 2010, p. 1165.
  2. ↑ Vogt 1987, pp. 214–215.
  3. 1 2 "Mitglieder der Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein 1862-2021" [Members of the Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein 1862–2021] (PDF). www.regierung.li (in German). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  4. 1 2 Marxer, Wilfried (31 December 2011). "Koalition" [Coalition]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 1 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Brunhart 1986, pp. 47–48.
  6. ↑ Frommelt, Fabian (31 December 2011). "Frick, Alexander". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 31 October 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  7. 1 2 Marxer, Wilfried; Frommelt, Fabian (31 December 2011). "Wahlsysteme" [Electoral systems]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  8. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver 2010, p. 1159.
  9. ↑ Vogt, Paul (31 December 2011). "Landtag" [State parliament]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Vogt, Paul (31 December 2011). "Regierung" [Government]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  11. ↑ Marxer, Wilfried; Frommelt, Fabian (31 December 2011). "Stimm- und Wahlrecht" [Right to vote and right to stand for election]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Frick, Julia (31 December 2011). "Frauenstimm- und -wahlrecht" [Women's suffrage and the right to vote]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Unser beschlossenes Arbeitsprogramm" [Our adopted work programme]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 31 August 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Das Landesinteresse verlangt den Führungswechsel" [The interest of the state demands a change of leadership]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 31 August 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Das abgeschriebene Tätigkeitsprogramm der Union" [The Union’s plagiarised programme of activities]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 31 August 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Dieses grosse ?" [This big ?]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 31 August 1957. p. 3. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Der Arbeiter und seine Liste" [The worker and his list]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland. 31 August 1958. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Im Zeichen der Einheit und der Stärke" [In the spirit of unity and strength]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 22 March 1962. p. 1. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
  19. ↑ Marxer, Milic & Rochat 2024, p. 400.
  20. ↑ "Bekanntmachung" [Notice]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 21 January 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Landtagswahlen 1. September 1957" [State parliament election 1 September 1957]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 17 June 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 Vogt 1987, pp. 215–216.
  23. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver 2010, p. 1182.
  24. ↑ "Bericht über die Landtagssitzung vom 31. December 1957" [Report on the State Parliament session of 31 December 1957]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 4 January 1958. p. 1. Archived from the original on 21 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  25. 1 2 Brunhart 1986, p. 49.
  26. ↑ Vogt 1987, p. 216.

Bibliography

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