Liechtenstein's Constitution Part 1

At first Alois promised to reform the old constitution of 1818 and set up a Constitutional Committee. But as the political situation changed with the defeat elsewhere of the liberals and socialists, he sought to distract his citizens' attention from what he considered subversive idea. Alois started a vast program of public works and sought to improve the principality's economy. He signed a customs treaty with Austria, the riverbanks fortified, dams built, swamps drained, existing roads improved and a new road built from Schaan to Ruggell. An orphanage was planned and a fund to help the poor was started.

On September 26 1862 the then ruling Prince Johann gave the people a new constitution. His father, Prince Alois, had thought that the old constitution was good enough and did not need changing. But four years after he succeeded his father, Johann made a treaty between himself and his subjects. He took a more active interest in his people and, gauging the winds of change, sought to modernize his little country and bring the people more into its administration and development. His new constitution was a very modern liberal document considering the circumstances and the times.

The 1862 Constitution, based on an 1848 draft made by Peter Kaiser, allowed for more representation of the people in the Diet and detailed certain rights and guarantees for the citizens of Liechtenstein. While there was universal male suffrage, women did not get the vote until the 1980's. Voting for those who had the franchised was compulsory and failure to vote resulted in a fine. Executive power was separated from the legislative and judicial powers. The Executive power was vested in the ruling Prince as the Chief of State. The Prince shared legislative power with the Diet while the judiciary power was separated from the executive administrative powers. The Constitution, except for several small amendments, remained in effect for almost 60 years. It provided a solid political base for the economic and social development of the principality and its people.

In the next article we will look at the 1921 Constitution, Hausgesetzevised Hausgesetz ( 'house code' of the ruling family) and the 2003 Constitutional Amendmendment.

References:

Moore Russell F., Principality Of Liechtenstein, Simmons-Boardman Publishing 1960

Pawlitzek, René, "Principality of Liechtenstein" 1997 at http://hkreuzer.Febs.dal.ca/Ratonm 8 Feb. 1998

Raton, Pierre, Liechtenstein/History and Institutions, Liechtenstein-Verlag, Vaduz, 1970

Picture courtesy of www.news.li

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