Protest in Liechtenstein after veto on abortion law
About 250 people demonstrated in Vaduz against Hereditary Prince Alois’s decision to block a reform.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
In Liechtenstein, about 250 people demonstrated against Hereditary Prince Alois’s veto of an easing of the abortion law. The protest also focused on the ruling family’s broad political power.
According to ANP, the demonstrators walked to Vaduz Castle, the residence of the princely family. Among other things, they chanted that women should be able to decide for themselves about their bodies. The demonstration followed Hereditary Prince Alois’s decision to block the amendment to the law.
The proposal would have made abortion possible during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy without criminal prosecution. Parliament had previously voted in favour of the reform. The existing rules are among the strictest in Europe; exceptions apply, among other circumstances, when the pregnancy poses a serious risk to the woman’s health or results from sexual violence.
According to reports, Alois said that the proposed reform would not sufficiently protect unborn life. As Hereditary Prince, he has taken over the duties of his father, Hans Adam II. In Liechtenstein, the monarch still has actual political powers, including a veto.
The reform’s initiators had collected about 5,000 signatures, according to El País roughly a quarter of the electorate. According to El País, the parliamentary vote on the amendment ended with thirteen votes in favour and twelve against; parliament also rejected a referendum by the same margin.
The issue is therefore about more than just a debate on abortion. It touches on the question of how much power an unelected monarch should retain in a parliamentary democracy. For Dutch readers, Liechtenstein is particularly relevant as an exceptional European example in which the monarch directly influences legislation through his veto and executive powers.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Hereditary Prince Alois blocked an easing of the abortion law using his veto.
- About 250 people demonstrated against the decision in Vaduz.
- Parliament had voted in favour of the reform.
- The issue has prompted debate about the ruling family’s political power.
Left
Arguments From this perspective, the decision should lie with women and their elected representatives, not with an inherited position of power. The veto is seen as restricting reproductive autonomy and democratic decision-making.
Values Bodily autonomy, equality and democratic legitimacy.
Consequences From this perspective, the existing rules can lead to unequal access to healthcare and undermine parliament’s decision.
Centre
Arguments A constitutional system should take both the protection of unborn life and democratic decision-making and legal certainty seriously. Reform may be open to discussion, but it should proceed through clear parliamentary and legal procedures.
Values The rule of law, diligence and institutional stability.
Consequences A compromise could clarify the law, but cannot entirely remove the fundamental disagreement over the monarch’s role.
Right
Arguments From this perspective, the veto can be defended as protecting unborn life and as a legitimate power under the existing constitution. A parliamentary majority does not automatically have to set aside all constitutional safeguards.
Values Protection of life, constitutional continuity and restraint when making far-reaching changes to the law.
Consequences From this perspective, retaining the current rules prevents rapid liberalisation, but also keeps the debate over the ruling family’s power alive.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The events and main figures were described independently by ANP and El País. The text avoids unconfirmed assumptions about the veto’s further legal consequences.
- confirmed About 250 people demonstrated in Vaduz against the abortion veto. — ANP reported the protest and the estimated number of participants on 25 October 2026. source
- confirmed The bill would have decriminalised abortion during the first twelve weeks. — This is stated in ANP and El País reports. source
- confirmed According to El País, parliament voted 13 to 12 in favour of the reform. — El País describes the parliamentary vote and its outcome. source
- confirmed The initiators collected about 5,000 signatures. — The figure is mentioned by ANP and El País. source
Editor's note
The number of demonstrators, the veto and the parliamentary votes were reported by freely available sources. The precise constitutional procedure following the veto has not been further confirmed and is therefore not described.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „liechtenstein abortus”
- Het Parool — „liechtenstein abortus”
- Trouw — „liechtenstein abortus”