Patriotic Union (Liechtenstein)
Patriotic Union Vaterländische Union | |
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Abbreviation | VU |
President | Thomas Zwiefelhofer |
Secretary | Michael Winkler |
Prime Minister | Daniel Risch |
Prime ministerial candidate | Brigitte Haas |
Founded | January 1936 |
Merger of | Christian-Social People's Party Liechtenstein Homeland Service |
Headquarters | Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse 13 FL-9490 Vaduz[1] |
Newspaper | Liechtensteiner Vaterland[2] |
Youth wing | Youth Union[3] |
Women's wing | Women's Union[4] |
Ideology | Conservatism[5] Liberal conservatism[6] Economic liberalism[7] Constitutional monarchism[8] Christian democracy[7] |
Political position | Centre[9] to centre-right[10] |
European affiliation | ALDE-PACE[11] (in the Council of Europe) European Democrat Union |
Colours | Red |
Landtag | 10 / 25 |
Mayors | 7 / 11 |
Municipal Councilsa | 43 / 104 |
Website | |
www | |
a. Municipal Councils = Number listed on respective website subtracted by number of elected mayors (who serve as members on their respective local councils, but are elected separately from other council members) as of 2 April 2023. |
The Patriotic Union (German: Vaterländische Union, VU) is a liberal-conservative political party in Liechtenstein.[6] The VU is one of the two major political parties in Liechtenstein, along with the monarchist conservative Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP). The VU is the relatively more liberal of the two parties, advocating constitutional monarchy and greater democracy.[12][13] It is led by Thomas Zwiefelhofer and has ten members in the Landtag.
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Wilhelm_Beck_Haus%2C_Gesch%C3%A4ftsstelle_der_Vaterl%C3%A4ndischen_Union.jpg/220px-Wilhelm_Beck_Haus%2C_Gesch%C3%A4ftsstelle_der_Vaterl%C3%A4ndischen_Union.jpg)
The Patriotic Union was formed by the 1936 merger of the Christian-Social People's Party (VP) with the minor party Liechtenstein Homeland Service (LHD).[14] While the VP was the larger party, following the merger members of the LHD took prominent positions in the leadership of the new party.[2]
After decades of being second to the Progressive Citizens' Party, the VU became the largest party in the Landtag for the first time as a result of the 1970 elections. Although it lost the 1974 elections to the FBP, it won the 1978 elections and retained its Landtag majority until February 1993. However, early elections in October 1993 saw it regain its majority, which it held until 2001. After the 2005 state elections, which brought in an all-time low of votes, the VU provided 10 of the 25 deputies and was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Klaus Tschütscher and Hugo Quaderer in the five-member government. The VU emerged as the clear winner from the 2009 state elections and had an absolute majority in the state parliament for the 2009-2013 legislative period with 13 seats and provided the new head of government in the coalition government with the FBP. The Patriotic Union lost five seats in the state parliament in the 2013 state elections and was then represented with eight seats and provided two of the four government councillors. In the 2017 state election, the Patriotic Union was able to slightly increase its share of the vote by 0.2%, but still retained 8 of the 25 seats in the state parliament. In the 2021 state elections, the VU achieved 10 out of 25 mandates and recorded a 2.1% increase in votes compared to the 2017 state elections.
Currently, its member Daniel Risch is the head of government. Furthermore, the party also has two members (Dominique Hasler and Graziella Marok-Wachter) as government councillors.
Ideology
[edit]The party is liberal-conservative but has members that are more socially conservative, especially when comes to LGBT rights. It is also economically liberal, advocating a modern liberal market economy with balanced budget.[15]
Election results
[edit]Landtag elections
[edit]Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Rank | Government |
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1936 | Otto Schaedler | 4 / 15
|
– | 2nd | Opposition | ||
1939 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |||
1945 | 1,285 | 45.28 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |
1949 | 1,285 | 47.07 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |
1953 (Feb) | 1,229 | 42.60 | 7 / 15
|
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Coalition | |
1953 (Jun) | 1,541 | 49.57 | 7 / 15
|
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Coalition | |
1957 | 1,537 | 47.64 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |
1958 | 1,537 | 45.53 | 6 / 15
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Coalition | |
1962 | 1,448 | 42.73 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |
1966 | Franz Nägele | 1,581 | 42.79 | 7 / 15
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Coalition |
1970 | Alfred Hilbe | 2,008 | 49.57 | 8 / 15
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Coalition |
1974 | 16,356 | 47.26 | 7 / 15
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Coalition | |
1978 | Hans Brunhart | 18,244 | 49.15 | 8 / 15
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Coalition |
1982 | 20,997 | 53.47 | 8 / 15
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Coalition | |
1986 | 46,793 | 50.19 | 8 / 15
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Coalition | |
1989 | 75,417 | 47.15 | 13 / 25
|
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Coalition | |
1993 (Feb) | 73,217 | 45.43 | 11 / 25
|
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Coalition | |
1993 (Oct) | Mario Frick | 78,898 | 50.12 | 13 / 25
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Coalition |
1997 | 82,786 | 49.3 | 13 / 25
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Coalition | |
2001 | 76,402 | 41.35 | 11 / 25
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Opposition | |
2005 | Heinz Frommelt | 74,162 | 38.23 | 10 / 25
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Coalition |
2009 | Adolf Heeb | 95,219 | 47.61 | 13 / 25
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Coalition |
2013 | Thomas Zwiefelhofer | 65,118 | 33.55 | 8 / 25
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Coalition |
2017 | 65,742 | 33.73 | 8 / 25
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Coalition | |
2021 | Daniel Risch | 72,361 | 35.89 | 10 / 25
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Coalition |
Leaders
[edit]Years | Leader |
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1936–1965 | Otto Schaedler |
1965–1974 | Franz Nägele |
1974–1992 | Otto Hasler |
1992–2001 | Oswald Kranz |
2001–2005 | Heinz Frommelt |
2005–2011 | Adolf Heeb |
2011–2015 | Jakob Büchel |
2015–2021 | Günther Fritz |
2021–present | Thomas Zwiefelhofer |
References
[edit]- ^ "Kontakt" (in German). Patriotic Union. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Vaterländische Union". e-archiv.li (in German). Liechtenstein National Archives. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Jugendunion" (in German). Patriotic Union. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Frauenunion" (in German). Patriotic Union. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "The curious case of Liechtenstein: A country caught between a prince and democracy". London School of Economics. 30 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Liechtenstein voters elect new government". The Local. Agence France-Presse. 3 February 2013.
- ^ a b Stefanini, Sara (5 February 2017). "Liechtenstein's Populists Gain Ground". Politico. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ^ "Statuten der Vaterländischen Union" (PDF). Vaterländische Union. October 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ "Independents upset Liechtenstein's 3-party system". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. 3 February 2013.
- ^ Riches, Christopher; Stalker, Peter (6 October 2016). A Guide to Countries of the World (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-106079-3.
- ^ ALDE PACE - Members, alde-pace.org
- ^ "Wertvorstellungen der Vaterländischen Union" (PDF) (in German). p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ Day, Alan John (2002). Political parties of the world. London: John Harper. p. 302. ISBN 978-0-9536278-7-5.
- ^ "Parties in Liechtenstein 1921-1943". Prince and People: Liechtenstein Civics (in German). School Office of the Principality of Liechtenstein. 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- ^ "Wertvorstellungen der Vaterländischen Union" (PDF) (in German). Patriotic Union. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in German)