lennart
16-03-03, 12:28
Liechtenstein votes on prince
The people of Liechtenstein go to the polls on Sunday to vote on whether or not to make their prince an absolute monarch again.
The 160 square kilometre country (62 square mile) is the sixth smallest in the world but it still has a thriving royal family who live in the capital city, Vaduz.
The prince already has considerable political powers, including the use of a princely veto, but now he is warning his citizens that if they do not allow him further rights, he will leave Liechtenstein and go into exile.
Hans-Adam II has been Crown Prince of Liechtenstein since 1989; his family have ruled the tiny nation for nearly 300 years.
The prince already has the right to dissolve Parliament and call early elections.
Now he wants the power to hire and fire governments as well.
Dictatorship fears
His supporters say he is simply ironing out ambiguities in the constitution but his critics, like Sigvard Wolhwend of the Democratic Secretariat Party, warn that granting the prince more power would turn Liechtenstein into a dictatorship.
"He has more than enough power and it's not democratic to have the head of the state who is uncontrollable and has the power to dismiss parliament and government whenever he feels for it. I think that's the real, real bad thing."
The Liechtenstein people face a difficult dilemma.
The prince has warned them that if they vote against him in the referendum he will simply leave Vaduz castle and move to his alternative residence in Austria.
Although many citizens are opposed to an absolute monarchy, they are also very attached to the royal family and they may sooner grant Hans-Adam his wish than see Liechtenstein without its traditional crown prince.
The people of Liechtenstein go to the polls on Sunday to vote on whether or not to make their prince an absolute monarch again.
The 160 square kilometre country (62 square mile) is the sixth smallest in the world but it still has a thriving royal family who live in the capital city, Vaduz.
The prince already has considerable political powers, including the use of a princely veto, but now he is warning his citizens that if they do not allow him further rights, he will leave Liechtenstein and go into exile.
Hans-Adam II has been Crown Prince of Liechtenstein since 1989; his family have ruled the tiny nation for nearly 300 years.
The prince already has the right to dissolve Parliament and call early elections.
Now he wants the power to hire and fire governments as well.
Dictatorship fears
His supporters say he is simply ironing out ambiguities in the constitution but his critics, like Sigvard Wolhwend of the Democratic Secretariat Party, warn that granting the prince more power would turn Liechtenstein into a dictatorship.
"He has more than enough power and it's not democratic to have the head of the state who is uncontrollable and has the power to dismiss parliament and government whenever he feels for it. I think that's the real, real bad thing."
The Liechtenstein people face a difficult dilemma.
The prince has warned them that if they vote against him in the referendum he will simply leave Vaduz castle and move to his alternative residence in Austria.
Although many citizens are opposed to an absolute monarchy, they are also very attached to the royal family and they may sooner grant Hans-Adam his wish than see Liechtenstein without its traditional crown prince.