The Principality of Liechtenstein combines a powerful monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The prince has an influential political role, which was enhanced by a constitutional referendum in 2003. Human rights and civil liberties are generally respected in the country.

• In January, a law adopted in 2024 to legalize same-sex marriage entered into force.
• Parliamentary elections were held in February, and the governing conservative Patriotic Union (VU) and Progressive Citizens’ Party (FBP) took 10 and 7 seats, respectively, in the 25-seat legislature. The right-wing opposition Democrats for Liechtenstein party won 6 seats, the best result to date for a third party, while the center-left Free List took the remaining 2. The number of women in the parliament increased from 7 to 8. The VU and FBP formed a new coalition government, and Brigette Haas of the VU became the country’s first woman prime minister in April.
• A needs-assessment report from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe generally praised the country’s electoral laws and election administration, though it noted some concern about constituency sizes, the relatively high 8 percent threshold for parties to win representation, and other topics for potential reform.
• In April, the government shut down Radio Liechtenstein, the country’s only radio station, because no private party had expressed interest in a takeover, and because there was no political agreement on reversing the effects of a 2024 referendum in which a majority of voters had supported terminating public funding for the station. The move followed the 2023 closure of a major newspaper and added to concerns about the diversity of Liechtenstein’s media landscape.
• A May report from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) identified remaining gaps in Liechtenstein’s anticorruption framework, including the prince’s authority under the constitution to block or discontinue prosecutions and its potential use to quash cases against government officials accused of corruption.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2026 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see the reports from the 2024 and 2025 editions of Freedom in the World.