Liechtenstein has changed its royal succession rules to allow women to inherit the throne, ending the long-standing system of male primogeniture in the tiny European principality.
Hereditary Prince Alois announced the change during Liechtenstein’s National Day celebrations on Saturday. The new rule replaces male primogeniture with absolute primogeniture, meaning the first-born child will inherit the throne regardless of sex.
The change was approved by the required two-thirds majority of eligible members of the Princely Family. It will apply to future descendants of Alois and his wife, Hereditary Princess Sophie, meaning it does not immediately alter the current line of succession.
ALSO READ: Davido Accuses INEC of Delaying Osun Election Results, Warns of Manipulation
Alois, 58, is currently first in line to succeed his father, Prince Hans-Adam II. Their eldest child, Prince Joseph Wenzel, remains ahead of his sister, Princess Marie Caroline, under the existing succession order.
The reform represents a significant change for Liechtenstein, which had maintained a succession system that excluded women from inheriting the throne. The principality, situated between Switzerland and Austria, has a population of about 40,000 and retains an unusually powerful monarchy by European standards.
ALSO READ: Professor Jason Arday Dies Suddenly in London at 41
The move also comes decades after Liechtenstein became the last European country to grant women voting rights in national elections, in 1984. The country appointed its first female prime minister, Brigitte Haas, in 2025.
