Progressive Citizens' Party

The Progressive Citizens' Party in Liechtenstein (, FBP) is a conservative political party in Liechtenstein. The FBP is one of the two major political parties in Liechtenstein, along with the liberal-conservative Patriotic Union. Founded in 1918 along with the now-defunct Christian-Social People's Party, it is the oldest extant party in Liechtenstein.

History

The party was established in 1918 by middle class citizens and members of the agricultural community as a response to the formation of the Christian-Social People's Party (VP).Vincent E McHale (1983) ''Political parties of Europe'', Greenwood Press, p609 In addition to being linked to the commercial and rural environment, the party was also firmly anchored in the clergy. It won the majority of the elected the 1918 elections, Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p1182 but the VP formed a government following the November 1918 Liechtenstein putsch.McHale, p611

The VP won elections in 1922, January 1926 and April 1926, but the FBP won the 1928 elections, and became the party of government until 1938, with Josef Hoop serving as prime minister until 1945. In 1938 the FBP allowed the Patriotic Union (VU) to join it in a coalition government. The two parties governed in coalition until the 1997 elections,Nohlen & Stöver, p1157 after which the Patriotic Union formed a government. The FBP won the 2001 elections and its leader Otmar Hasler became prime minister. Following the 2005 elections the coalition was renewed, with Hasler remaining prime minister. The VU's Klaus Tschütscher held the post between 2009 and 2013, after which FBP leader Adrian Hasler became prime minister.

In the 2017 state election, the FBP lost 4.8% of the vote and was awarded only nine of the 25 seats. However, it remained the party with the most votes in the state parliament, as the Patriotic Union only gained slightly and still had eight Landtag members.

In the 2021 state elections, Adrian Hasler and government councilor Mauro Pedrazzini (also a FBP member) decided not to run for government again after eight years. With Sabine Monauni, the FBP nominated a woman as prime minister candidate for the state elections for the first time. The party nominated Katrin Eggenberger and Manuel Frick as further candidates for the government.

The FBP won 35.9% of the votes in the 2021 state elections and won 10 seats in the Landtag. Mathematically, the FBP was elected by around 100 voters (0.6%) more. The discrepancy arose from the fact that the voters in the Oberland, with 15 votes per ballot paper, had a higher weight on the total party vote result than the voters in the Unterland with ten votes per person. Voter turnout was stable at 78.0%. The FBP and VU formed a coalition government, which appointed Monauni as deputy prime minister. If she had become prime minister, she would have been the first female to hold the position.

In the 2025 elections, former president of the landtag Ernst Walch was the party's candidate for prime minister. The party further nominated Sabine Monauni and Daniel Oehry as government candidates. In the election, the FBP won 7 seats with 27.9% of the vote share, the lowest in its history.

Ideology and policy

The FBP tends to be conservative on social/cultural issues. As for economic issues, it is economically liberal but also claims to follow a social market economy policy. The party states its policies are based on Christian values such as solidarity, respect and justice. It also advocates a dualistic form of government, claiming to support both the monarchy and the people as sovereigns.

Women's rights

The FBP was an early proponent of the introduction of women's suffrage to Liechtenstein, starting in 1970. However, two separate referendums on the issue were rejected by male-only voters in 1971 and 1973 respectively. The Women in the FBP group was founded in September 1982 to represent women's issues within the party, and also to further advocate for the introduction of women's suffrage. The party then again proposed the issue to the Landtag of Liechtenstein in December 1983 and again in April 1984. Following a successful referendum (among men only) in July 1984, women's suffrage was introduced to Liechtenstein.

Emma Eigenmann, belonging to the FBP, was the woman elected to the Landtag of Liechtenstein in 1986. In the first Mario Frick cabinet, Cornelia Gassner, also belonging to the FBP, became the first female government councillor. Rita Kieber-Beck was also the first female Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein.

LGBT rights

Compared to the Patriotic Union, members of the FBP are more inclined to support LGBT rights:

:a. Percentages do not add up to 100%.

The FBP also voted ''en bloc'' with the Free List (FL) party on 6 May 2022 to narrowly defeat a proposed legislation (i.e., ''Amendment to the Article 25 of the Partnership Act'') that would have limited adoption and reproductive rights of same-sex couples.

Election results

Landtag elections

Notes

References

External links

Official website

{{Authority control

Progressive Citizens' Party
Political parties established in 1918
1918 establishments in Liechtenstein
Conservative parties in Europe
National conservative parties
Catholic political parties
Monarchist parties
Political parties in Liechtenstein
Organizations based in Vaduz