Liechtenstein Grants Women the Right to Succession in the Throne
On its National Day, the tiny principality of Liechtenstein formally altered its royal succession laws to absolute primogeniture, allowing a daughter to inherit the throne alongside a son.
The decree, proclaimed by the House of Liechtenstein, eliminates male primogeniture and applies to the children of Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie. It does not, however, change the current succession line, leaving Prince Alois’s eldest son in position to continue after him.
“With this change in the law, we want to ensure that both the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Princely House are led by the person who has been best prepared for this responsibility,” Alois said.
Liechtenstein’s ruler holds sweeping political powers, a trait unusual among European monarchs, but the kingdom remains modest in population at just 44,000. The reform aligns the principality with other monarchies that have embraced gender-neutral succession, following the United Kingdom’s 2011 amendment that opened the British throne to the firstborn daughter.
With this transformation, Liechtenstein signals a modern, inclusive stance on succession, setting a precedent for future generations of its royal family.
