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Klaus Wanger

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Klaus Wanger
Wanger in 2006
President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein
In office
30 March 2001 – February 2009
MonarchsHans-Adam II
Alois (regent)
Vice PresidentPeter Wolff
Ivo Klein
Preceded byPeter Wolff
Succeeded byArthur Brunhart
Member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein for Oberland
In office
24 October 1993 – 8 February 2009
Personal details
Born(1941-02-24)24 February 1941
Schaan, Liechtenstein
DiedSeptember 5, 2026(2026-09-05) (aged 85)
PartyProgressive Citizens' Party
Spouse
Adelheid Ritter
​
(m. 1964)​
Children2

Klaus Wanger (24 February 1941 – 5 September 2026), also known as Nikolaus, was a Liechtensteiner businessman and politician who served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), he served as a member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1993 to 2009.

Wanger initially worked in business, as the managing director of Hoval [de] and vice chairman of the board of directors of the National Bank of Liechtenstein. His time as president of the Landtag was characterized by being a prominent supporter of the prince's proposed changes in the 2003 constitutional referendum.

Early life and business career

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Klaus Wanger was born in Schaan on 24 February 1941, as the son of baker Reinold Wanger and Maria (née Kaufmann), and one of three children. Wanger attended secondary school and conducted an apprenticeship as a mechanical draftsman in the capital of Vaduz before attending evening high school in Zurich with a 1966 Matura. He graduated with a diploma in business administration in 1976.[1]

He worked for Swiss companies and Hoval [de], being the managing director of Rheindata AG in Vaduz from 1975 to 1983 and then of Hoval from 1983 to 1993. From 1978 to 1988, he was the vice chairman of the board of directors of the National Bank of Liechtenstein.[1]

Political career

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Wanger was a deputy member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1978 to 1982 as a member of the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP),[2] then vice president of the party from 1982 to 1986.[1] He was elected as a full member of the Landtag in the October 1993 elections.[3] Following the FBP's victory in the 2001 elections, Wanger became president of the Landtag on 29 March. He was the oldest member of the Landtag upon his election.[4]

Upon becoming president of the Landtag, Wanger played a key role in negotiating with Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein regarding his proposed changes to the Constitution of Liechtenstein, intended to clear ambiguities highlighted in the 1992 constitutional crisis.[5][6] In his Liechtenstein National Day speech in August 2001, Wanger declared that a compromise had been reached and that a proposal would be submitted to the Landtag.[7][8] Wanger supported the proposal in the subsequent Landtag sessions, and was elected the chairman of the Landtag's constitutional commission in December, which continued to negotiate with the prince.[9][10]

In the run-up to the subsequent 2003 constitutional referendum Wanger, alongside the rest of the FBP, supported the prince's proposed changes.[11] During the campaign, he declared that "Without the monarchy and without the Prince, we are nothing."[12] The referendum was accepted by voters.[13] Wanger was re-elected as president of the Landtag following the 2005 elections by a narrow margin, retrospectively postulated by the newspaper Liechtensteiner Vaterland as being due to "polarizing" the Landtag during the constitutional debate.[14] He did not seek re-election to the Landtag in the 2009 elections.[15]

Personal life and death

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Wanger married Adelheid Ritter on 6 July 1964 and they had two children together.[1] He died on 5 September 2026, at the age of 85.[16]

Honours

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Wanger, Klaus (Nikolaus)". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Vogt 1987, p. 184.
  3. ↑ "Die Kandidaten und ihre Stimmen". Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 25 October 1993. p. 2. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Batliner, Alexander (30 March 2021). "Verbund iSüdostschwhz Steuerharmonisierung: Fürst empfiehlt «bedingungsloses Nein»" [Southeastern Switzerland tax harmonization: Prince recommends an "unconditional no"]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). p. 1. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  5. ↑ Marcinkowski & Marxer 2010, pp. 114–115.
  6. ↑ Wille, Herbert (31 December 2011). "Verfassung" [Constitution]. Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  7. ↑ Marcinkowski & Marxer 2010, p. 114.
  8. ↑ "Aktives Bemühen um Verfassungslösung" [Active efforts to find a constitutional solution]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 23 December 2001. p. 3. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  9. ↑ Marcinkowski & Marxer 2010, pp. 115–116.
  10. ↑ Frommelt, Martin (4 May 2002). "Offener Verfassungsdialog" [Open constitutional dialogue]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). p. 1. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  11. ↑ ""Es geht um Liechtenstein!"" ["Its about Liechtenstein!"]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). 26 February 2003. p. 5. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  12. ↑ Quaderer, Elias (16 March 2003). "Verfassungsabstimmung 2003: Von «Wir wollen keinen Diktator» zu «Ohne Fürst sind wir nichts»" [2003 Constitutional Referendum: From "We don't want a dictator" to "Without the Prince, we are nothing"]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Liechtenstein prince wins powers". BBC News. 16 March 2003. Archived from the original on 12 September 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  14. ↑ Quaderer, Elias (25 March 2021). "Knapp trotz Koalition: Die Wahl des Landtagspräsidenten" [A close call despite the coalition: The election of the state parliament president]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Quaderer, Tino (13 December 2008). "Klares Angebot" [Clear offer]. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt (in German). p. 1. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  16. ↑ "Altlandtagspräsident Klaus Wanger verstorben" [Former State Parliament President Klaus Wanger has passed away]. Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 7 September 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.

Bibliography

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