List of heads of government of Liechtenstein
- Top left: Michael Menzinger is considered the first governor of Liechtenstein.
- Top right: Leopold Freiherr von Imhof was governor during World War I.
- Bottom left: Josef Hoop was the longest-serving prime minister and held the office during World War II.
- Bottom right: Daniel Risch is the incumbent prime minister.
The head of government of Liechtenstein (German: Regierungschef), known informally as the Prime Minister, is the chief executive of the Government of Liechtenstein and chairs the cabinet of Liechtenstein. They are appointed by the sovereign prince of Liechtenstein with the consent of the Landtag of Liechtenstein and are expected to command the confidence of both the prince and the Landtag.[1] The appointed head of government is typically the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Landtag or a coalition of parties, but is not required to be a member of the Landtag themselves, although they should meet the eligibility requirements for that office.
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The role originated when Michael Menzinger applied for the creation of the role in 1833, and was the first office-holder.[2] The title was changed to 'Governor' as a concession following the Revolution of 1848 in Liechtenstein, and was formalized upon the ratification of the 1862 constitution of Liechtenstein on 26 September.[2][3] In 1921, a new constitution was ratified in which the office was replaced by that of Prime Minister.[3][4] Under this constitution, the eligibility for becoming head of government was changed to require residency in Liechtenstein.[1]
The incumbent Prime Minister is Daniel Risch since 25 March 2021.[5] There are currently five living former prime ministers, with Walter Kieber being the most recent death, in 2014.[6]
Head of government
[edit]Political parties
[edit]Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP)
Christian-Social People's Party (VP)[a]
State administrator (1861–1921)
[edit]The Landesverweser (transl. State administrator), also known as simply 'Governor', was the title of the head of government from 1848 to 1921.[7]
No.[b] | Portrait | Name (born-died) |
Term of office | Cabinet | Party | Monarch
(Reign) |
Ref(s). | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | Duration | ||||||||
1 | ![]() |
Michael Menzinger (1792–1877) |
March 1833
– April 1861 |
28 years, 1 month | — | Ind | Aloys II![]() (1836–1858) |
[2] | |
2 | ![]() |
Karl Freiherr Haus von Hausen (1823–1889) |
April 1861
– 23 September 1884 |
23 years, 175 days | Karl Freiherr Haus von Hausen cabinet | Johann II![]() (1858–1929) |
[4] | ||
3 | ![]() |
Carl von In der Maur (1852–1913) |
23 September 1884
– 5 September 1892 |
7 years, 348 days | First Carl von In der Maur cabinet | ||||
4 | ![]() |
Friedrich Stellwag von Carion (1852–1896) |
5 September 1892
– 24 October 1896 † |
4 years, 49 days | Friedrich Stellwag von Carion cabinet | ||||
(3) | ![]() |
Carl von In der Maur (1852–1913) |
4 January 1897
– 11 December 1913 † |
16 years, 341 days | Second Carl von In der Maur cabinet | ||||
— | ![]() |
Josef Ospelt (1881–1962) Acting |
11 December 1913
– 1 April 1914 |
111 days | — | [8] | |||
5 | ![]() |
Leopold Freiherr von Imhof (1869–1922) |
1 April 1914
– 13 November 1918 |
4 years, 226 days | Leopold Freiherr von Imhof cabinet | [4] | |||
— | ![]() |
Martin Ritter Chairman of the Provisional Executive Committee (1872–1947) |
7 November 1918
– 7 December 1918 |
30 days | Provisional Executive Committee | VP | |||
6 | ![]() |
Prince Karl Aloys of Liechtenstein (1878–1955) |
13 December 1918
– 15 December 1920 |
1 year, 277 days | Prince Karl Aloys cabinet | Ind | |||
7 | ![]() |
Josef Peer (1864–1925) |
15 December 1920
– 23 March 1921 |
189 days | Josef Peer cabinet | ||||
8 | ![]() |
Josef Ospelt (1881–1962) |
23 March 1921
– 5 October 1921 |
196 days | Josef Ospelt cabinet | FBP |
Prime Minister (1921–present)
[edit]The Regierungschef (lit. 'head of government') is the current title for the head of government.[4] The office replaced State Administrator upon the ratification of the constitution of Liechtenstein on 5 October 1921.
No.[b] | Portrait | Name (born–died) |
Elected | Term of office | Cabinet | Party | Monarch (Reign) |
Ref(s). | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Term | Duration | |||||||||
1 | ![]() |
Josef Ospelt (1881–1962) |
— | 5 October 1921
– 4 May 1922 |
211 days | Josef Ospelt cabinet | FBP | Johann II | [4] | |
— | ![]() |
Alfons Feger (1856–1933) Acting |
— | 4 May 1922
– 1 June 1922 |
28 days | — | Ind | |||
— | ![]() |
Felix Gubelmann (1880–1929) Acting |
— | 1 June 1922
– 6 June 1922 |
5 days | — | ||||
2 | ![]() |
Gustav Schädler (1883–1961) |
1922 1926 (Jan) 1926 (Apr) |
6 June 1922
– 28 June 1928 |
6 years, 22 days | Gustav Schädler cabinet | VP | |||
— | ![]() |
Prince Alfred Roman of Liechtenstein (1875–1930) Acting |
— | 28 June 1928
– 4 August 1928 |
37 days | — | Ind | |||
3 | ![]() |
Josef Hoop (1895–1959) |
1928 1930 1932 1936 1939 1945 |
4 August 1928
– 3 September 1945 |
17 years, 30 days | I II III IV |
FBP | Franz I![]() (1929–1938) | ||
4 | ![]() |
Alexander Frick (1910–1991) |
1949 1953 (Feb) 1953 (Jun) 1957 1958 |
3 September 1945
– 16 July 1962 |
16 years, 316 days | I | Franz Josef II ![]() (1938–1989) | |||
5 | ![]() |
Gerard Batliner (1928–2008) |
1966 | 16 July 1962
– 18 March 1970 |
7 years, 245 days | I | ||||
6 | ![]() |
Alfred Hilbe (1928–2011) |
1970 | 18 March 1970
– 27 March 1974 |
4 years, 9 days | Alfred Hilbe Cabinet | VU | |||
7 | ![]() |
Walter Kieber (1931–2014) |
1974 | 27 March 1974
– 26 April 1978 |
4 years, 30 days | Walter Kieber cabinet | FBP | |||
8 | ![]() |
Hans Brunhart (born 1945) |
1978 1982 1986 1989 |
26 April 1978
– 26 May 1993 |
15 years, 30 days | I II III IV |
VU | |||
9 | ![]() |
Markus Büchel (1959–2013) |
1993 (Feb) | 26 May 1993
– 15 December 1993 |
203 days | Markus Büchel cabinet | FBP | Hans-Adam II | ||
10 | ![]() |
Mario Frick (born 1965) |
1993 (Oct) 1997 |
15 December 1993
– 5 April 2001 |
7 years, 111 days | I | VU | |||
11 | ![]() |
Otmar Hasler (born 1953) |
2001 2005 |
5 April 2001
– 25 March 2009 |
7 years, 354 days | I | FBP | |||
12 | ![]() |
Klaus Tschütscher (born 1967) |
2009 | 25 March 2009
– 27 March 2013 |
4 years, 2 days | Klaus Tschütscher cabinet | VU | |||
13 | ![]() |
Adrian Hasler (born 1964) |
2013 2017 |
27 March 2013
– 25 March 2021 |
7 years, 363 days | I | FBP | |||
14 | ![]() |
Daniel Risch (born 1978) |
2021 | 25 March 2021 | 3 years, 142 days | Daniel Risch cabinet | VU |
- ^ Defunct from 1936
- ^ a b People are numbered according to periods served by the same person. For example, Carl von In der Maur served as State Administrator twice in two non-consecutive terms, yet is still counted as the second. People who occupied the position in a provisional manner are not counted, yet still noted.
Deputy head of government
[edit]The deputy head of government is the secondary chief executive in Liechtenstein.[4] One of the cabinet ministers is appointed to this position by the prince of Liechtenstein upon the proposal of the Landtag of Liechtenstein.[1]
No. | Portrait | Name (born–died) |
Party | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | Ref(s). | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Alfons Feger (1856–1933) |
Ind | 2 March 1922 | 1 June 1922 | Josef Ospelt | FBP | [4] | ||
Himself Acting Prime Minister |
Ind | |||||||||
— | Vacant (1–6 June 1922) |
Felix Gubelmann Acting Prime Minister |
||||||||
(1) | ![]() |
Alfons Feger (1856–1933) |
Ind | 6 June 1922 | 28 June 1928 | Gustav Schädler | VP | |||
— | Vacant (28 June–4 August 1928) |
Prince Alfred Roman of Liechtenstein Acting Prime Minister |
Ind | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
Ludwig Marxer (1897–1962) |
FBP | 4 August 1928 | 20 June 1933 | Josef Hoop | FBP | |||
3 | ![]() |
Anton Frommelt (1895–1975) |
20 June 1933 | 30 March 1938 | ||||||
4 | ![]() |
Alois Vogt (1906–1988) |
VU | 30 March 1938 | 3 September 1945 | |||||
5 | ![]() |
Ferdinand Nigg (1893–1957) |
3 September 1945 | 13 July 1957 † | Alexander Frick | |||||
6 | Josef Büchel (1910–1991) |
13 July 1957 | 16 June 1965 | |||||||
Gerard Batliner | ||||||||||
7 | ![]() |
Alfred Hilbe (1928–2011) |
16 June 1965 | 18 March 1970 | ||||||
8 | ![]() |
Walter Kieber (1931–2014) |
FBP | 18 March 1970 | 27 March 1974 | Alfred Hilbe | VU | |||
9 | ![]() |
Hans Brunhart (born 1945) |
VU | 27 March 1974 | 26 April 1978 | Walter Kieber | FBP | |||
(8) | ![]() |
Walter Kieber (1931–2014) |
FBP | 26 April 1978 | 1 July 1980 | Hans Brunhart | VU | |||
9 | ![]() |
Hilmar Ospelt (1929–2020) |
1 July 1980 | 2 February 1986 | ||||||
10 | ![]() |
Herbert Wille (born 1944) |
2 February 1986 | 26 May 1993 | ||||||
11 | ![]() |
Mario Frick (born 1965) |
VU | 26 May 1993 | 15 December 1993 | Markus Büchel | FBP | |||
12 | ![]() |
Thomas Büchel (born 1952) |
FBP | 15 December 1993 | 2 February 1997 | Mario Frick | VU | |||
13 | ![]() |
Michael Ritter (born 1957) |
VU | 2 February 1997 | 5 April 2001 | |||||
14 | ![]() |
Rita Kieber-Beck (born 1958) |
FBP | 5 April 2001 | 21 April 2005 | Otmar Hasler | FBP | |||
15 | ![]() |
Klaus Tschütscher (born 1967) |
VU | 21 April 2005 | 25 March 2009 | |||||
16 | ![]() |
Martin Meyer (born 1972) |
FBP | 25 March 2009 | 27 March 2013 | Klaus Tschütscher | VU | |||
17 | ![]() |
Thomas Zwiefelhofer (born 1969) |
VU | 27 March 2013 | 30 March 2017 | Adrian Hasler | FBP | |||
18 | ![]() |
Daniel Risch (born 1978) |
30 March 2017 | 25 March 2021 | ||||||
19 | ![]() |
Sabine Monauni (born 1974) |
FBP | 25 March 2021 | Incumbent | Daniel Risch | VU |
See also
[edit]- Politics of Liechtenstein
- Prince of Liechtenstein
- List of Liechtenstein general elections
- Lists of incumbents
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "CONSTITUTION OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN". EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION). Strasbourg. 27 November 2002 [5 October 1921]. pp. 22–23. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Burmeister, Karl Heinz (31 December 2011). "Menzinger, Johann Michael". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b Wille, Herbert (31 December 2011). "Verfassung". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mitglieder der Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein 1862-2021" (PDF). www.regierung.li. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "New Government Sworn In". liechtensteinusa.org. Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington D.C. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ "Alt-Regierungschef Kieber mit 83 gestorben". Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Mitglieder der Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein 1862-2021" (PDF). www.regierung.li. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ Quaderer, Rupert (31 December 2011). "Ospelt, Josef". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
Further reading
[edit]- Vogt, Paul (1987). 125 Jahre Landtag (in German). Vaduz: Landtag of the Principality of Liechtenstein.