Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein (1921, as amended 2014) (excerpts related to elections) (English)
Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein
(excerpts)
[...]
Art. 45
1) The Diet is the legal organ representing all the citizens6
of the Principality
and as such has the duty of safeguarding and vindicating the rights and interest of
the People in relation to the Government in conformity with the provisions of the
present Constitution and also of promoting as far as possible the welfare of the
Princely House and of the country while faithfully adhering to the principles laid
down in this Constitution.
2) The rights appertaining to the Diet may only be exercised in the lawfully
constituted assembly of that body.
Art. 46
1) The Diet shall consist of 25 Representatives who shall be elected by the
People by universal, equal, secret and direct suffrage according to the system of
proportional representation. The Upper Country (Oberland) and the Lower Country
(Unterland) shall each form a constituency. Of the 25 Representatives, 15 shall be
elected by the Upper Country and 10 by the Lower Country.
2) In addition to the 25 Representatives, substitutes shall be elected in each
constituency. For each three Representatives in a constituency, each electoral
group shall have one substitute but if an electoral group has obtained one mandate
it shall have at least one substitute.
3) Mandates shall be distributed among electoral groups which have obtained at
least eight percent of the valid votes cast in the country as a whole.
4) The members of the Gouvernment and the Courts may not be members of the
Diet at the same time.
5) Detailed regulations regarding the conduct of the elections shall be laid down
in a special law.
Art. 47
1) The Representatives shall be elected for four years, provided that the regular
elections shall be held in the February or March of the year when the fourth year of
their mandate ends. Representatives shall be eligible for reelection.
Art. 50
Should the Diet be dissolved, new elections must take place within six weeks.
The newly elected Representatives shall then be summoned to meet within
fourteen days.
Art. 51
1) In the case of an accession to the Throne, the Diet shall be convened to an
extraordinary session within 30 days for the purpose of receiving the declaration of
the Prince Regnant as provided for in Art. 13 and of taking the oath of allegiance.
2) If the Diet has already been dissolved, the new elections shall be expedited so
that it may be convened at the latest on the fortieth day after the accession of the
new sovereign.
Art. 59
1) Complaints relating to elections shall be referred to the State Court.
2) The Diet shall adjudicate on the validity of the election of its members and of
the election as such on the basis of the election records and, if applicable, of the
decision of the State Court (validation procedure).
Art. 110
1) Provisions concerning the number, organization and duties of the communes
in their own sphere of action and in that assigned to them shall be laid down in the
laws.
2) The laws concerning the communes shall establish the following principles:
a) free election of the mayor and of the other officials of the commune by the
communal assembly;
Art. 111
Every citizen of Liechtenstein who is eighteen years of age and residing in a
commune but who does not yet possess the right to vote or to take part in elections
may vote or take part in elections in communal affairs.