1918 Liechtenstein general election explained

Country:Liechtenstein
Previous Election:1914
Next Election:1922
Election Date:11 March 1918 (first round)
Election Name:1918 Liechtenstein general election
First Election:yes
Seats For Election:12 of the 15 seats in the Landtag
Majority Seats:8
Nopercentage:yes
Turnout:90.31%
Party1:Progressive Citizens' Party
Seats1:7
Party2:Christian-Social People's Party (Liechtenstein)
Leader2:Wilhelm Beck
Seats2:5
Landesverweser
Before Election:Leopold von Imhof
Before Party:Independent politician
After Election:Leopold von Imhof
After Party:Independent politician
Flag Year:1852

General elections were held in Liechtenstein on 11 March 1918, with a second round on 18 March.[1] They were the first elections held in the country contested by political parties, as the Christian-Social People's Party and Progressive Citizens' Party had been founded that year.[2] The Progressive Citizens' Party emerged as the largest in the Landtag, winning seven of the 12 elected seats.[3]

Electoral system

The electoral system was changed prior to the 1918 elections to allow for direct elections using a majoritarian system, and led to the creation of the new parties.[4] The country was divided into two constituencies, with Oberland electing seven members and three substitutes and Unterland electing five members and two substitutes.[4] Voters wrote down the names of as many candidates as there were seats on the ballot paper, and after assembling in the polling station, were called by name to cast their ballot.[4] If fewer candidates than the number of seats received over 50% of the vote, a second round was held in which the number of candidates was double the number of remaining seats.[4] The remaining three seats were appointed by the Prince.[4]

Only men aged 24 or over were allowed to vote.[1]

Results

By electoral district

First round

Electoral districtSeatsPartySeats
won
Elected members
Oberland7bgcolor=#FF0000 Christian-Social People's Party5
Progressive Citizens' Party1Fritz Walser
Unterland5Progressive Citizens' Party3
bgcolor=#FF0000 Christian-Social People's Party0
Source: Vogt[5]

Second round

Electoral districtSeatsPartySeats
won
Elected members
Oberland1Progressive Citizens' Party1Johann Wanger
bgcolor=Christian-Social People's Party0
Unterland2Progressive Citizens' Party2
bgcolor=FF0000 Christian-Social People's Party0
Source: Vogt

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p1157
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, p1182
  4. Nohlen & Stöver, p1158
  5. [Paul Vogt (historian)|Paul Vogt]