General elections were held in Liechtenstein on 5 February 2017 to elect the 25 members of the Landtag. The Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) won a plurality of nine seats, with the Patriotic Union (VU) winning eight. The Independents (DU) and Free List (FL) won five and three seats respectively. Voter turnout was 77.8%.

Incumbent prime minister Adrian Hasler of the FBP sought re-election for a second term, while the VU nominated deputy prime minister Thomas Zwiefelhofer for the position. The Free List nominated Ecki Hermann for prime minister. Following the elections, the FBP and VU were asked to form a coalition government, ultimately under the leadership of Hasler. The new government was sworn in on 30 March 2017.

Background

In the 2013 elections the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) won ten seats, and the Patriotic Union (VU) won eight seats, while the newly-formed The Independents (DU) won four seats, and the Free List won three seats. This was the first time in Liechtenstein's history that four parties held seats in the Landtag. As a result, the FBP and VU formed a coalition government, with Adrian Hasler continuing as prime minister.

Hasler's term was marked by restructuring Liechtenstein's state budget. His government continued and expanded the tax cooperation agreements that had been done by his predecessors following the 2008 Liechtenstein tax affair, signing tax agreements with numerous countries. His government was also responsible for establishing an asylum task force, and then an amendment to the Liechtenstein asylum law in response to the 2015 European migrant crisis.

Gerold Büchel of the FBP resigned in December 2015 due to a change in residence to the Oberland constituency and was succeeded by Rainer Gopp.

Landtag members not running for re-election MemberConstituencyFirst electedPartyChristoph BeckOberland2013Patriotic UnionAlois BeckOberlandFeb 1993Progressive Citizens' PartyChristian BatlinerOberland2009Progressive Citizens' PartyChristine WohlwendOberland2013Progressive Citizens' PartyJudith OehriUnterland2013Patriotic UnionPeter BüchelUnterland2009Patriotic UnionManfred BatlinerUnterland2009Progressive Citizens' PartyRainer GoppUnterland2015Progressive Citizens' Party

Electoral system

The 25 members of the Landtag are elected by open list proportional representation from two constituencies, Oberland with 15 seats and Unterland with 10 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 8%. Gesetze.li Landtag members sit for a four-year term. Once formed, the Landtag elects the prime minister and four government councillors who govern in a cabinet. Voting is compulsory by law and most is carried out by post. Polling stations are open only for one and a half hours on election day. Citizens over 18 years of age who have been resident in the country for one month prior to election day are eligible to vote.

Campaign

Main parties

Hasler was expected to seek a second term, and was re-nominated by the FBP on 18 August 2016. Additionally, the party nominated incumbent government councillors Mauro Pedrazzini and Aurelia Frick as government candidates. The party launched its campaign on 22 August, with the slogan "Much achieved. Much to do" (), and with the aim of remaining the largest party in the Landtag. The FBP's programme included things such as supporting apprenticeship programs, strengthening the role of teachers, improvements to broadband, and keeping basic medical costs on the same level as Switzerland.

The VU re-nominated incumbent deputy prime minister Thomas Zwiefelhofer for prime minister on 17 June 2016, who had also been the candidate in 2013. Additionally, the party nominated Daniel Risch and Dominique Gantenbein as government candidates. The party launched its campaign on 21 September, with the slogan "Making more possible. For you and our country" (). Zwiefelhofer stated that he would not be a part of the next government should the party lose the election. The VU's programme included things such as favourable conditions for business and maintaining a balanced budget.

Major issues of the election were healthcare and the consolidation of the state budget. During campaigning, Hasler came under controversy due to an ongoing dispute with the Liechtenstein mandatory health insurance (OKP), in which Zwiefelhofer, as the junior coalition party, demanded the VU's involvement. However, the newspaper Liewo Sonntagszeitung described the run-up to the election as "a campaign without fire" and "lacklustre". A January 2017 poll by the newspaper Liechtensteiner Vaterland suggested that 50% of respondents would support another coalition government between the FBP and VU. Both parties stated that they were open to the formation of a coalition with the other. Opposition parties The Independents, led by Harry Quaderer, did not present any candidates for government. However, the FBP declared the party as a potential coalition partner; Quaderer rejected this, stating that forming a coalition with a major party would only be possible if the "party agrees to the demands we will make". According to polling, the party was expected to perform well, perhaps receiving up to 20% of the vote. The party did not adopt a manifesto for the election, instead relying on party "positions".

The Free List nominated physician Ecki Hermann for prime minister on 26 September 2016. Additionally, it also nominated Thomas Lageder as a government candidate. The party stated that it was open to the formation of a coalition government with other parties. However, both the FBP and VU ruled out a coalition with the Free List due to policy differences. The party campaigned on social issues such as distributive justice.

Opinion polls +SourceDateVUFBPDUFLOtherHoi DUFebruary 201634%31%21%13%—VaterlandAutumn 201534.5%31.3%21%13.1%—

Candidates Candidates have the same eligibility criteria as voters. Political parties must have the support of 30 voters from a constituency to be eligible to nominate a candidate list in it. The election saw the highest number of candidates running in Liechtenstein's history to that point with 71 candidates; 52 men and 19 women. OberlandFBPVUDU Wendelin Lampert Albert Frick Daniel Seger Eugen Nägele Susanne Eberle-Strub Michael Ospelt Marcel Gstöhl Clarissa Frommelt Peter Banzer Martina Haas Andrea Häring Adriana Nentwich-Tomasoni Christoph Wenaweser Manfred Kaufmann Günter Vogt Thomas Vogt Frank Konrad Rainer Beck Christine Schädler Rainer Wolfinger Karin Rüdisser-Quaderer Dominik Hemmerle Nils Vogt Alexandra Schädler Ernst Trefzer Jnes Rampone-Wanger Gerald Luchs Harry Quaderer Jürgen Beck Thomas Rehak Ado Vogt Pio Schurti Othmar Züger Pascal Willi Siegfried Sele Isolde Hermann-Jehle Johann Beck Burgi BeckFL Georg Kaufmann Thomas Lageder Helen Konzett Bargetze Walter Kranz Conny Büchel Brühwiler Richard BrunhartUnterlandFBPVUDU Johannes Kaiser Elfried Hasler Johannes Hasler Daniel Oehry Alexander Batliner Norman Walch Bruno Matt Veronika Hilti-Wohlwend Judith Spalt Elmar Gangl Violanda Lanter-Koller Mario Wohlwend Guinilla Marxer-Kranz Peter Frick Rainer Ritter Dominik Oehri Peter Büchel Elisabeth Stock-Gstöhl Gustav Gstöhl Rainer Batliner Herbert Elkuch Erich Hasler Peter Wachter Agnes Dentsch Werner Dolzer-MüssnerFL Patrick Risch Wolfgang MarxerSource: Landtagswahl 2017

Results The FBP received 35.2% of the vote, a 4.8% decrease from their 2013 performance, and won nine seats in the Landtag, a decrease of one. The VU received 33.7% of the vote, a 0.1% increase from 2013, and maintained their eight seats. The DU saw its vote share rise from 15.3% to 18.4% from 2013, and won five seats at an increase of one, the highest of any third party in Liechtenstein's history to that point. The Free List received 12.6% of the vote, an increase of 1.4% from 2013, and maintained its three seats.

A total of 15,413 ballots were cast, resulting in a 77.8% voter turnout. The majority of votes (96%) were cast by post.

By electoral district

Electoral districtSeatsElectoratePartyCandidatesSubsititutesVotes%SwingSeats won+/–Oberland1512,814Patriotic UnionChristoph WenaweserManfred KaufmannGünter VogtThomas VogtFrank KonradRainer Beck48,78934.4 0.250Progressive Citizens' PartyWendelin LampertAlbert FrickDaniel SegerEugen NägeleSusanne Eberle-StrubMichael Ospelt47,74733.7 5.65 1The IndependentsHarry QuadererJürgen BeckThomas RehakAdo Vogt26,45218.6 3.93 1Free ListGeorg KaufmannThomas LagederHelen Konzett Bargetze18,88211.8 2.120Unterland106,992Progressive Citizens' PartyJohannes KaiserElfried HaslerJohannes HaslerDaniel OehryAlexander Batliner20,94139.4 2.540Patriotic UnionViolanda Lanter-KollerMario WohlwendGuinilla Marxer-KranzPeter Frick16,99532.0 1.130The IndependentsHerbert ElkuchErich HaslerPeter Wachter9,44917.8 1.020Free ListPatrick RischWolfgang Marxer5,71510.8 0.410Source: Landtagswahlen 2017

Votes by candidate