Succession to the

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy ...

er throne is governed by the

house law House law or House laws (''Hausgesetze'') are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for order of succession, succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a Regent, regency, or entitlement to dynastic ...

s of the

Princely Family of Liechtenstein The House of Liechtenstein, from which the principality takes its name, is the family which reigns by hereditary right over the principality of Liechtenstein. Only dynastic members of the family are eligible to inherit the throne. The dynasty's m ...

, which stipulate

agnatic primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

. In 2004, the head of state, Hans-Adam II, publicly responded to criticism from a committee of the UN which had voiced concerns about the exclusion of women from the line of succession, stating that the rule was older than the state itself.

Succession rules

In 1606, the first prince of Liechtenstein,

Karl I Charles I or Karl I (german: Karl Franz Josef Ludwig Hubert Georg Otto Maria, hu, Károly Ferenc József Lajos Hubert György Ottó Mária; 17 August 18871 April 1922) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (as Charles IV, ), King of Croatia, ...

, and his younger brothers,

Maximilian Maximilian, Maximillian or Maximiliaan (Maximilien in French) is a male given name. The name " Max" is considered a shortening of "Maximilian" as well as of several other names. List of people Monarchs *Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459� ...

and Gundakar, signed Family Covenant, agreeing that the headship of the family should pass according to agnatic primogeniture to the heir of the most senior line. The family continued to be governed by various statutes until 1993, when it was decided that some of the provisions were outdated and that they should be amended. The statute was repealed on 26 October, and the new house law was published on 6 December. According to the house law, the right to succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein is reserved for male

patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

descendants of Prince Johann I Joseph born to married parents, excluding issue born of marriage to which the sovereign did not consent. Should there be no more eligible male patrilineal descendants left, the sovereign has the right to adopt an heir presumptive. It is explicitly stated that if a member of the princely family adopts a prince who is in the line of succession, the adoptee's place in the line will not be altered. There is no scenario under which a woman could succeed to the throne of Liechtenstein. The house law also provides for a possibility of renunciation of succession rights.

Line of succession

* '' Prince Johann I Josef (1760–1836)'' ** '' Prince Alois II (1796–1858)'' *** '' Prince Johann II (1840–1929)'' *** '' Prince Franz I (1853–1938)'' ** '' Prince Franz de Paula (1802–1887)'' *** '' Prince Alfred (1842–1907)'' **** ''

Prince Alois Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg (Alois Philipp Maria; born 11 June 1968), is the eldest son of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein, Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchini ...

(1869–1955)'' ***** '' Prince Franz Josef II (1906–1989)'' ******

Prince Hans-Adam II Hans-Adam II (Johannes Adam Ferdinand Alois Josef Maria Marco d'Aviano Pius; born 14 February 1945) is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, since 1989. He is the son of Prince Franz Joseph II and his wife, Countess Georgina von Wilczek. He al ...

(born 1945) ******* (1)

Hereditary Prince Alois Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg (Alois Philipp Maria; born 11 June 1968), is the eldest son of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. The heir apparent ...

(b. 1968) ******** (2) Prince Joseph Wenzel (b. 1995) ******** (3) Prince Georg (b. 1999) ******** (4) Prince Nikolaus (b. 2000) ******* (5) Prince Maximilian (b. 1969) ******** (6) Prince Alfons (b. 2001) ******* (7) Prince Constantin (b. 1972) ******** (8) Prince Moritz (b. 2003) ******** (9) Prince Benedikt (b. 2008) ****** (10) Prince Philipp (b. 1946) ******* (11) Prince Alexander (b. 1972) ******* (12) Prince Wenzeslaus (b. 1974) ******* (13) Prince Rudolf (b. 1975) ******** (14) Prince Karl Ludwig (b. 2016) ****** (15) Prince Nikolaus (b. 1947) ******* (16) Prince Josef-Emanuel (b. 1989) ***** '' Prince Karl Alfred (1910–1985)'' ****** (17) Prince Andreas (b. 1952) ****** (18) Prince Gregor (b. 1954) ***** ''Prince Georg Hartmann (1911–1998)'' ****** (19) Prince Christoph (b. 1958) ***** '' Prince Heinrich Hartneid (1920–1993)'' ****** (20) Prince Hubertus (b. 1971) **** '' Prince Johannes (1873–1959)'' ***** ''Prince Alfred (1907–1991)'' ****** (21) Prince Franz (b. 1935) ******* (22) Prince Alfred (b. 1972) ******** (23) Prince Franz (b. 2009) ******* (24) Prince Lukas (b. 1974) ****** ''Prince Friedrich (1937–2010)'' ******* (25) Prince Emanuel (b. 1978) ******** (26) Prince Leopold (b. 2010) ******** (27) Prince Heinrich (b. 2012) ******* (28) Prince Ulrich (b. 1983) ****** (29) Prince Anton (b. 1940) ******* (30) Prince Georg (b. 1977) ***** ''Prince Johannes (1910–1975)'' ****** (31) Prince Eugen (b. 1939) ******* (32) Prince Johannes (b. 1969) **** '' Prince Alfred Roman (1875–1930)'' ***** ''Prince Hans-Moritz (1914–2004)'' ****** (33) Prince Gundakar (b. 1949) ******* (34) Prince Johann (b. 1993) ******* (35) Prince Gabriel (b. 1998) ****** (36) Prince Alfred (b. 1951) ****** (37) Prince Karl (b. 1955) ****** (38) Prince Hugo (b. 1964) ***** ''Prince Heinrich (1916–1991)'' ****** (39) Prince Michael (b. 1951) ****** (40) Prince Christof (b. 1956) ****** (41) Prince Karl (b. 1957) **** '' Prince Karl Aloys (1878–1955)'' ***** (42) Prince Wolfgang (b. 1934) ****** (43) Prince Leopold (b. 1978) ******* (44) Prince Lorenz (b. 2012) ** '' Prince Eduard Franz (1809–1864)'' *** ''Prince Aloys (1840–1885)'' **** ''Prince Friedrich (1871–1959)'' ***** ''Prince Aloys (1898–1943)'' ****** ''Prince Luitpold (1940–2016)'' ******* (45) Prince Carl (b. 1978) ***** ''Prince Alfred (1900–1972)'' ****** '' Prince Alexander (1929–2012)'' ******* (46) Prince Christian (b. 1961) ******** (47) Prince Augustinus (b. 1992) ******** (48) Prince Johannes (b. 1995) ******* (49) Prince Stefan (b. 1961) ******** (50) Prince Lukas (b. 1990) ******** (51) Prince Konrad (b. 1992) ******* (52) Prince Emanuel (b. 1964) ******** (53) Prince Josef (b. 1998)

Discrimination concerns

In 2004, a

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

committee questioned the compatibility of agnatic primogeniture, which prevents women from becoming head of state of Liechtenstein, with the

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty that commits nations to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedo ...

and later raised concern about it. In response to the United Nations' demands for

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...

in 2007,

explained that the succession law is older than the Principality of Liechtenstein itself and that it is a family tradition that does not affect the country's citizens; the

Constitution of Liechtenstein The Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: Verfassung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein) was promulgated on 5 October 1921, replacing the 1862 constitution. It was granted by Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and established t ...

stipulates that succession to the throne is a private family matter.

References

{{Orders of succession by country

*Line of succession

Line of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Women's rights in Liechtenstein

Succession rules

Line of succession

Discrimination concerns

See also

References