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.
![]() |
---|
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. [4] [5] 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. [6]
Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP)
The Landesverweser (transl. State administrator), also known as simply 'Governor', was the title of the head of government from 1848 to 1921. [7]
No. [lower-alpha 2] | Portrait | Name (born-died) | Term of office | Party | Monarch (Reign) | Ref(s). | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | Duration | ||||||
1 | ![]() | Michael Menzinger (1792–1877) | March 1833 | April 1861 | 28 years, 1 month | Independent | Aloys II ![]() (1836–1858) | [2] |
2 | ![]() | Karl Freiherr Haus von Hausen (1823–1889) | April 1861 | 23 September 1884 | 23 years, 175 days | Johann II ![]() (1858–1929) | [5] | |
3 | ![]() | Carl von In der Maur (1852–1913) | 23 September 1884 | 5 September 1892 | 7 years, 348 days | |||
4 | ![]() | Friedrich Stellwag von Carion (1852–1896) | 5 September 1892 | 24 October 1896 † | 4 years, 49 days | |||
(3) | ![]() | Carl von In der Maur (1852–1913) | 4 January 1897 | 11 December 1913 † | 16 years, 341 days | |||
— | ![]() | 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 | [5] | ||
— | ![]() | Martin Ritter Chairman of the Provisional Executive Committee (1872–1947) | 7 November 1918 | 7 December 1918 | 30 days | Christian-Social People's Party | ||
6 | ![]() | Prince Karl Aloys of Liechtenstein (1878–1955) | 13 December 1918 | 15 September 1920 | 1 year, 277 days | Independent | ||
7 | ![]() | Josef Peer (1864–1925) | 15 September 1920 | 23 March 1921 | 189 days | |||
8 | ![]() | Josef Ospelt (1881–1962) | 23 March 1921 | 5 October 1921 | 196 days | Progressive Citizens' Party |
The Regierungschef (lit. 'head of government') is the current title for the head of government. [5] The office replaced State Administrator upon the ratification of the constitution of Liechtenstein on 5 October 1921.
No. [lower-alpha 2] | 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 | [5] | |
— | ![]() | 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, 121 days | Daniel Risch cabinet | VU |
The deputy head of government is the secondary chief executive in Liechtenstein. [5] One of the cabinet ministers is appointed to this position by the prince of Liechtenstein upon the proposal of the Landtag of Liechtenstein. [1]
Portrait | Name (born–died) | Party | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Alfons Feger (1856–1933) | Independent | 2 March 1922 | 1 June 1922 | Josef Ospelt | FBP | ||
Himself Acting Prime Minister | Ind | |||||||
Vacant (1–6 June 1922) | Felix Gubelmann Acting Prime Minister | Ind | ||||||
![]() | Alfons Feger (1856–1933) | Independent | 6 June 1922 | 28 June 1928 | Gustav Schädler | VP | ||
Vacant (28 June–4 August 1928) | Prince Alfred Roman of Liechtenstein Acting Prime Minister | Ind | ||||||
![]() | Ludwig Marxer (1897–1962) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 4 August 1928 | 20 June 1933 | Josef Hoop | FBP | ||
![]() | Anton Frommelt (1895–1975) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 20 June 1933 | 30 March 1938 | ||||
![]() | Alois Vogt (1906–1988) | Patriotic Union | 30 March 1938 | 3 September 1945 | ||||
![]() | Ferdinand Nigg (1893–1957) | Patriotic Union | 3 September 1945 | 13 July 1957 † | Alexander Frick | FBP | ||
Josef Büchel (1910–1991) | Patriotic Union | 13 July 1957 | 16 June 1965 | |||||
Gerard Batliner | FBP | |||||||
![]() | Alfred Hilbe (1928–2011) | Patriotic Union | 16 June 1965 | 18 March 1970 | ||||
![]() | Walter Kieber (1931–2014) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 18 March 1970 | 27 March 1974 | Alfred Hilbe | VU | ||
![]() | Hans Brunhart (born 1945) | Patriotic Union | 27 March 1974 | 26 April 1978 | Walter Kieber | FBP | ||
![]() | Walter Kieber (1931–2014) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 26 April 1978 | 1 July 1980 | Hans Brunhart | VU | ||
Hilmar Ospelt (1929–2020) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 1 July 1980 | 2 February 1986 | |||||
![]() | Herbert Wille (born 1944) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 2 February 1986 | 26 May 1993 | ||||
Mario Frick (born 1965) | Patriotic Union | 26 May 1993 | 15 December 1993 | Markus Büchel | FBP | |||
Thomas Büchel (born 1952) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 15 December 1993 | 2 February 1997 | Mario Frick | VU | |||
Michael Ritter (born 1957) | Patriotic Union | 2 February 1997 | 5 April 2001 | |||||
![]() | Rita Kieber-Beck (born 1958) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 5 April 2001 | 21 April 2005 | Otmar Hasler | FBP | ||
![]() | Klaus Tschütscher (born 1967) | Patriotic Union | 21 April 2005 | 25 March 2009 | ||||
![]() | Martin Meyer (born 1972) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 25 March 2009 | 27 March 2013 | Klaus Tschütscher | VU | ||
![]() | Thomas Zwiefelhofer (born 1969) | Patriotic Union | 27 March 2013 | 30 March 2017 | Adrian Hasler | FBP | ||
![]() | Daniel Risch (born 1978) | Patriotic Union | 30 March 2017 | 25 March 2021 | ||||
![]() | Sabine Monauni (born 1974) | Progressive Citizens' Party | 25 March 2021 | Incumbent | Daniel Risch | VU |
Political identity came to the territory now occupied by the Principality of Liechtenstein in 814, with the formation of the subcountry of Lower Rhætia. Liechtenstein's borders have remained unchanged since 1434, when the Rhine established the border between the Holy Roman Empire and the Swiss cantons.
Hans Brunhart is a political figure from Liechtenstein who served as the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1978 to 1993.
Gerard Batliner was an advocate and political figure from Liechtenstein who served as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1962 to 1970.
Alexander Frick was a political figure from Liechtenstein who served as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1945 to 1962.
The Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein was promulgated on 5 October 1921, replacing the 1862 constitution.
Markus Büchel was an advocate and politician from Liechtenstein who served as the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein in 1993.
The 1862 Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein was signed into law by Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein on September 26 at Eisgrub, Moravia.
Gustav Schädler was a teacher and politician from Liechtenstein who served as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1928.
Josef Ospelt was a political figure from Liechtenstein who served as the first Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1921 to 1922.
Prince Karl Aloys von Liechtenstein was Imperial and Royal Cavalry Master in Austria-Hungary until 1918 and then the Governor of Liechtenstein from 1918 to 1920.
Franz Josef Hoop was a diplomat and political figure from Liechtenstein who served as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1928 to 1945. Hoop is best known for his efforts to retain Liechtenstein's neutrality and independence during World War II. Serving for seventeen years, he is the longest-serving prime minister in the country's history, ahead of his successor Alexander Frick by 79 days. He served under the reign of Prince of Liechtenstein Johann II, Franz I and Franz Joseph II, making him the only prime minister to serve under three Princes consecutively.
The Christian-Social People's Party, often shortened to People's Party, was a social liberal political party in Liechtenstein. Founded in 1918, the Christian-Social People's Party and the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) were the first political parties in Liechtenstein.
Josef Peer was an Austrian lawyer and politician who served as the Governor of Liechtenstein from 1920 to 1921.
Ferdinand Nigg was a political figure from Liechtenstein who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1945 to 1957.
Wilhelm Beck was an advocate and political figure from Liechtenstein who was one of the founders of the Christian-Social People's Party and served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1927.
The November 1918 Liechtenstein putsch, also known as the Beck putsch was a de facto coup d'état by the leaders of the Christian-Social People's Party against the government of Governor of Liechtenstein, Leopold Freiherr von Imhof. The coup forced Imhof's government to resign and established a Provisional Executive Committee in his place until 7 December.
Josef Karl Severin Schädler was a physician and political figure from Liechtenstein who served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1862 to 1870.
The Josef Ospelt cabinet was the governing body of Liechtenstein from 23 March 1921 to 27 April 1922. It was appointed by Johann II and was chaired by Josef Ospelt.
Karl Freiherr Haus von Hausen was an Austrian noble and civil servant who served as the Governor of Liechtenstein from 1861 to 1884. Hausen was born into an Austrian noble family of Franconian origins, which was amalgamated under the title 'von Hausen' by Francis II in 1797.