The paradox of a conservative party fighting for women's rights

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the tiny principality of Liechtenstein, one party has spent over a century balancing traditional Christian values with progressive social shifts. From its roots in 1918 to its role in modern governance, the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) reveals how conservative politics can evolve through internal friction and long-term advocacy.

Founded in 1918 by middle-class citizens and agricultural workers, the FBP was established as a response to the Christian-Social People's Party. While it remains firmly anchored in the clergy and advocates for policies based on Christian values like solidarity and justice, its history is marked by significant internal evolution. For example, despite its conservative social stance, the party was an early proponent of women’s suffrage, beginning its advocacy in 1970.

Liechtenstein faced a difficult journey toward gender parity, as men-only voters turned down two distinct referendums regarding women's suffrage during 1971 and 1973. It wasn't until a successful referendum in July 1984 that women gained the right to vote. The FBP eventually established a dedicated 'Women in the FBP' group in September 1982 to represent these interests internally, leading to Emma Eigenmann becoming the first woman elected to the Landtag in 1986.

The party’s modern identity is defined by a complex mix of economic liberalism and social conservatism. It supports a 'social market economy' and maintains a dualistic view of government, supporting both the monarchy and the people as sovereigns. Interestingly, while conservative on many cultural issues, FBP members have shown a greater inclination toward LGBT rights than their rivals, notably voting en bloc in May 2022 to defeat legislation that would have limited adoption and reproductive rights for same-sex couples.

Recent elections highlight the party's shifting influence. In the 2021 state elections, the FBP won only by a razor-thin margin of about 100 voters (0.6%), a discrepancy caused by the weighted voting system where rural Oberland voters hold more weight per ballot than those in the Unterland. By the 2025 election, the party saw its lowest historical vote share at 27.9%.

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