For the first time in his 22-year reign, the hereditary prince of Liechtenstein exercised his royal veto — to stop an abortion law.
Liechtenstein’s 25-seat Parliament, the Landtag, voted to legalize abortion by a single vote majority (13-12) on September 2. The initiative would have decriminalized abortion up until 12 weeks, eliminated the ban on providing information about abortion, and funded abortion under health insurance.
In Liechtenstein, however, the ruling prince — Hereditary Prince Alois —has a formal role in passing legislation. After parliamentary approval, a law must receive royal sanction before it becomes law. The Constitution states that if the ruling prince does not sanction it within six months, the law does not come into effect.
Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein has devoted considerable attention in recent months to the popular initiative proposing the introduction of a time-limit regime for abortion, as well as to broader issues relating to abortion, and has held numerous discussions on the subject. Following careful consideration, he remains convinced that the proposed reform is not compatible with ensuring adequate protection of unborn life as a fundamental legal value. The Hereditary Prince will therefore withhold his sanction from the bill adopted by the Landtag on 2 September 2026 introducing a timelimit regulation in Liechtenstein.
The Hereditary Prince, a devout Catholic, added that he would be “open to lifting the advertising ban and supports efforts to improve information, counselling and support for women before, during, and after pregnancy.”
The last time Prince Alois threatened to exercise the royal veto was in 2011, ahead of a previous abortion initiative; the referendum failed. Activists blamed Prince Alois’ threatened veto for the loss and launched a subsequent referendum to limit the royal veto in 2013. This also failed. Consistent with his pro-life principles and his royal obligation to protect the most vulnerable people in his small, landlocked country, Prince Alois has now used the veto for the first time.
News reports indicated that he met with abortion campaigners hours before vetoing the abortion law. “The news left campaigners in the principality, home to some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, reeling,” the Guardianreported. “‘We’re not really surprised, but still disappointed,’ said Tatjana As’Ad, who led the initiative to overhaul the law and who works for the small leftwing party, Free List. ‘It’s surreal what’s happening right now in 2026 in a state in the middle of Europe.’” She stated that abortions would take place nonetheless.
“Hereditary Prince Alois has only threatened to veto legislation twice in his reign, and both times it concerned the legalisation of abortion,” the committee behind the abortion initiative said in a statement. “This is the first time he has actually exercised this veto. The conclusion is clear: When it comes to abortion, there is only one decision-maker.”
The prince begged to differ. “I am convinced that many people share the objective of providing the best possible support to women in difficult situations while at the same time protecting unborn life,” Hereditary Prince Alois stated in his press release.
