February 1953 Liechtenstein general election

February 1953 Liechtenstein general election

15 February 1953
All 15 seats in the Landtag 8 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	90.52% ( 1.78pp)
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– FBP Alexander Frick 50.54 8 0 VU Otto Schaedler 42.60 7 0 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Results by constituency Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Alexander Frick FBP Alexander Frick FBP

General elections were held in Liechtenstein on 14 June 1953 to elect the 15 members of the Landtag. The Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) won eight seats and retained its majority, while the Patriotic Union (VU) won seven. Voter turnout was 90.5%.

The election saw a new electoral group, the List of Workers and Small Farmers (UEK), contest the election for the first and only time, but it failed to reach the 8% electoral threshold to win seats in the Landtag. Following the election, the coalition government led by prime minister Alexander Frick remained. Due to a dispute between the FBP and VU regarding the administrative composition of the old age and survivors' insurance (AHV) office in Liechtenstein, the Landtag was dissolved and fresh elections were held in June.

Background

Further information: 1949 Liechtenstein general election

In the 1949 elections, the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) retained its majority of eight seats, while the Patriotic Union (VU) won seven. The coalition government under the leadership of Alexander Frick remained.

Frick's second term oversaw continued steps towards reforming Liechtenstein into a modern welfare state. Notably, in 1952 the old age and survivors' insurance (AHV) office in Liechtenstein, a mandatory life insurance scheme, was established after a successful referendum despite opposition from peasant workers. It also saw Liechtenstein achieve greater international participation, with the country joining the International Court of Justice and signing the Geneva Conventions, both in 1950.

Electoral system

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. 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. The electoral threshold to win a seat is 18%. Once formed, the Landtag elects the prime minister and two government councillors who govern in a cabinet. Only men aged 21 and above were eligible to vote.

Campaign

Both the FBP and VU campaigned on their respective party newspapers, the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt and Liechtensteiner Vaterland. During the election campaign, the FBP highlighted its achievements in office, such as the expansion of the Liechtenstein state budget, and claimed that the party had strengthened "country's reputation, and sovereignty internationally".

On the other hand, the VU appealed to businesspeople, tradespeople, and workers and campaigned on protecting their interests. In addition, the party advocated for things such as a free market economy, the expansion of benefits, and vocational education.

Due to no workers being represented in the Landtag from in the 1949–1953 legislative term, on 5 October 1952 the Liechtenstein Workers' Association voted to create its own electoral group the — List of Workers and Small Farmers (UEK). The group did not consider itself a political party, but rather a list nonpartisan workers'. Its programme included issues such as the expansion of social legislation, European integration, immigration, employment, and affordable housing. Notably, the list included former VU Landtag member Josef Sele.

Candidates

Political parties must have the support of 30 voters from a constituency to be eligible to nominate a candidate list in it. A total of 39 candidates were presented for the election.

Oberland	FBP	VU	UEK
	David Strub Ernst Risch Fidel Brunhart Engelbert Schädler Franz Josef Schurte Martin Risch David Büchel Raimund Tschol Albert Schädler	Alois Ritter Theobald Risch Johann Wachter Andreas Vogt Alois Ospelt Alois Vogt Wendelin Beck Josef Büchel Ivo Beck	Egon Beck Albert Frick Gebhard Kindle Oskar Gaßner Alexander Sele Wilhelm Frick Josef Hasler Ferdinand Banzer Josef Sele
Unterland	FBP	VU
	Eugen Schädler Oswald Bühler Ernst Büchel Franz Kind Rudolf Marxer Karl Goop	Johann Georg Hasler Paul Büchel Josef Kind Ludwig Marock Alois Hassler Gebhard Gerner
Source: Liechtensteiner Volksblatt

Results

The seat distribution remained unchanged from the February 1953 elections, with the FBP winning a majority of eight seats, whereas the VU won seven. The UEK won 8.9% of the vote, but failed to meet the electoral threshold of 18% to win seats in the Landtag. Voter turnout was 90.52%.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Progressive Citizens' Party	1,458	50.54	8	0
	Patriotic Union	1,229	42.60	7	0
	Workers' and Peasants' Party	198	6.86	0	New
Total		2,885	100.00	15	0
Valid votes		2,885	95.62
Invalid/blank votes		132	4.38
Total votes		3,017	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,333	90.52
Source: Vogt

By electoral district

Electoral district	Seats	Electorate	Party		Elected members	Substitutes	Votes	%	Seats
Oberland	9	2,194		Patriotic Union	Alois Ritter Wendelin Beck Ivo Beck Josef Büchel Alois Ospelt	Johann Wachter Andreas Vogt	867	45.3	5
				Progressive Citizens' Party	Martin Risch Fidel Brunhart Ernst Risch David Strub	Engelbert Schädler Franz Josef Schurte	849	44.4	4
				Workers' and Peasants' Party	–	–	198	10.3	0
Unterland	6	1,139		Progressive Citizens' Party	Eugen Schädler Ernst Andreas Büchel Oswald Bühler Franz Kind	Karl Goop Rudolf Marxer	609	62.7	4
				Patriotic Union	Alois Hassler Johann Georg Hasler	Josef Kind Ludwig Marock	362	37.3	2
Source: Vogt

Aftermath

Following the elections, the coalition government under Alexander Frick remained. Upon the establishment of the AHV, the VU demanded a majority of the seven-member administrative composition including its presidency, which the FBP denied. In response, in the first session of the newly-elected Landtag on 24 March 1953 the VU members walked out in protest, resulting in the Landtag being dissolved in May and new elections being called.

Bibliography

• Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Nomos. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
• Vogt, Paul (1987). 125 Jahre Landtag (in German). Vaduz: Landtag of the Principality of Liechtenstein.
• Brunhart, Arthur (1986). 50 Jahre für Liechtenstein [50 Years for Liechtenstein] (in German). Vaduz: Vaterländische Union – via Liechtenstein State Library.
• Fehr, Alice; Quaderer, Rupert; Geiger, Peter; Brunhart, Arthur; Schädler, Alfons (1995). 75 Jahre Liechtensteiner Arbeitnehmerverband [75 years of the Liechtensteiner Workers' Association] (in German). Vaduz: Liechtenstein Employees' Association – via Liechtenstein State Library.