Alpine microstate of Liechtenstein is set for its first female PM after election

Liechtenstein is set for its first female prime minister after Brigitte Haas’ conservative Fatherland Union won a general election in the tiny Alpine principality.

Haas’ party received 38.3% of the vote in Sunday’s election for the legislature in Vaduz, a slight gain compared with the last election four years ago when it had 35.9%. That gave the party an unchanged tally of 10 seats in the country’s 25-member parliament.

The Fatherland Union has traditionally formed coalitions with the Progressive Citizens’ Party (FBP), which saw its support decline to 27.5% in the election — from 35.9% in 2021 — and lost three of its 10 seats. Overall turnout was 76.3%, with 16,171 ballots cast.

Liechtenstein has only ever had male prime ministers since the job was introduced in 1921. Haas — a lawyer and the managing director of the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry — is expected to succeed Daniel Risch, a member of her own party who decided not to seek another term, on 20 March.

Women in Liechtenstein only won the right to vote in 1984 — making it the last country in Europe to grant universal suffrage.

Sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland, the German-speaking microstate of about 40,000 people is a constitutional hereditary monarchy, meaning that government legislation requires assent from the head of state, Prince Hans-Adam II. The ruling prince has the power to veto referendum results, appoint judges and fire the government.

The country has the second highest income per capita in Europe — behind Monaco — at €191,000, due mainly to its manufacturing industry and financial sector, according to veri from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).