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Jörg Paetzold, economist at the Liechtenstein Institute and the University of Salzburg, and Hannes Winner have won the University of Salzburg’s “Kurt Zopf Award for Scientific Publications 2024”, endowed with 4,000 euros.

The three institutions of higher education in Liechtenstein – the Liechtenstein Institute, the Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein (UFL) and the University of Liechtenstein – are presenting their diverse activities and research areas in their joint magazine for the fifth time. The current issue of the research magazine 160 im Quadrat is dedicated to artificial intelligence.

The new National Librarian Daniel Quaderer recently paid an inaugural visit to the library of the Liechtenstein Institute. In an exchange of ideas with librarian Rosmarie Lorenz, the importance of knowledge, research and education for Liechtenstein's sustainable development was discussed.

In connection with the publication of the KonSens business cycle index for the third quarter of 2024, Andreas Brunhart was interviewed by Wirtschaft Regional to assess the current difficult economic situation in the global economy and Liechtenstein.

Das Liechtenstein-Institut organisiert 2025 gemeinsam mit der Johannes Kepler Universität Linz und der Universität Innsbruck einen Workshop in empirischer Makroökonomik zum Thema «Transmission makroökonomischer Schocks und Herausforderungen für die Wirtschaftspolitik».

On October 27, 2024, the Liechtenstein electorate voted on the repeal of the Liechtenstein Broadcasting Act. The bill was approved with 55.4%. The Liechtenstein Institute conducted an online survey in collaboration with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland to find out the reasons for approval or rejection. Detailed survey results are now available.

On December 1, the electorate will have to vote on the amendment to the State Occupational Pensions Act (SBPVG). What is your position on this bill?

In the context of the uncertain global economic situation and sluggish global foreign trade trend, Liechtenstein’s economy remains in weak territory. The value of the KonSens business cycle index rose only slightly in the 3rd quarter of 2024, from -1.3 to -1.0.

The Financial Stability Report 2024 of the Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein (FMA) evaluates current developments regarding the stability of the financial sector in Liechtenstein. The Liechtenstein Institute contributed two guest articles.

Since 2010, the Liechtenstein Institute has been compiling a monitoring report on the human rights situation in Liechtenstein on behalf of the Government. It provides an overview of Liechtenstein’s commitment to human rights within international organisations and at national level, as well as current figures on the human rights situation in Liechtenstein. The report for the year 2023 has just been published.

On October 28, 2024, the 64th volume in the Liechtenstein Political Papers (LPS) series was presented at the Liechtenstein Institute. It is dedicated to the topic of Liechtenstein-Switzerland relations and contains contributions on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Customs Union Treaty between the two countries.

Last Sunday, the Liechtenstein electorate voted on the repeal of the Liechtenstein Broadcasting Act. The bill was approved with 55.4%. The Liechtenstein Institute conducted an online survey in collaboration with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland to find out the reasons for approval or rejection. The first results of the survey on the vote are now available. They show that most of the arguments in favor, but also those against, received majority support.

On 18 October, the II Liechtenstein Historians’ Day, organized by the Liechtenstein Institute, took place in the Gamprin Municipal Hall. Liechtenstein Historians’ Day, organized by the Liechtenstein Institute. The general theme of the event was the history of the family. The considerable number of participants demonstrated the great interest in the event, which offered thirteen lectures and opportunities for discussion. In addition to the lectures, the fifty or so attendees also engaged in lively discussions on aspects of historiography in and about Liechtenstein.

On September 22, 2024, the Liechtenstein electorate voted on joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The proposal was approved by the Liechtenstein electorate with 55.8 percent. The Liechtenstein Institute conducted an online survey in collaboration with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland to find out the reasons for the approval or rejection.

On 27 October 2024, the Liechtenstein electorate will have to vote on the initiative to repeal the Liechtenstein Broadcasting Act (LRF) (privatization of Radio Liechtenstein). What is your position on this proposal?

In a guest article in the annual report of the Clinicum Alpinum, Andreas Brunhart and Martin Geiger discuss the economic role of the healthcare sector and the importance of the physical and mental constitution of the population for economic growth. The article also looks at the interactions between health, happiness and prosperity.

To evaluate the performance of the education system, the government of the Principality of Liechtenstein commissioned the Liechtenstein Institute to compile an education report for Liechtenstein. A pilot study was published in 2021 and the education report has now been published for the first time. The report was presented at a media conference at the Liechtenstein Institute on October 8 in the presence of Minister of Education Dominique Hasler.

For the seventh time, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Finance is providing an updated version of the brochure "Economic and Financial Data on Liechtenstein". It was compiled by the Liechtenstein Institute on behalf of the Ministry with data as at the end of June 2024.

The initial main results of the survey on the vote to join the IMF show that the subject of the proposal was complex. The decision to vote was taken comparatively late and more voters than usual had difficulty understanding the content of the proposal. For this reason, recommendations were used more frequently than usual.

On September 13, 2024, students from the 6th grade of the Liechtensteinisches Gymnasium visited the Liechtenstein Institute with their teacher Marlies Kessler as part of the compulsory elective course "Politics in Liechtenstein and the surrounding area".

As part of the consultation procedure on the total revision of the Archives Act of 1997, the Law and History Departments of the Liechtenstein Institute submitted a statement to the Ministry of Society and Culture. In this statement, the draft is welcomed in principle, but at the same time various amendments to the consultation report and the draft law are proposed.

On September 22, 2024, the Liechtenstein electorate will have to vote on Liechtenstein's accession to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). What is your position on this proposal?

In a miscellany in the August issue of the Swiss Journal of History, Lukas Ospelt looks at the declarations of friendship in the Liechtenstein-Swiss state treaties between 1920 and 2023 and embeds them in the history of official relations between Vaduz and Bern.

verfassung.li, the online commentary on the Liechtenstein Constitution published by the Liechtenstein Institute, has been supplemented by three further commentaries. Peter Bussjäger comments on Art. 32 LV, which is summarized as a fundamental right of privacy and secrecy, as very different aspects fall within its scope of protection. Cyrus Beck's commentary on Art. 41 LV concerns the right of association and assembly and thus also the permissibility of demonstrations. Patricia Schiess comments on Art. 44 LV, which regulates compulsory military service.

The compact monograph "Immissions Protection Law" by Cyrus Beck deals with a topic that has so far been neglected in the literature on Liechtenstein special administrative law.

In a current research project, a team led by Jörg Paetzold from the Liechtenstein Institute is investigating the extent to which free public transport can help to facilitate a switch from individual transport (e.g. cars) to public transport (e.g. bus or rail). The study was taken up by major outlets in Germany.

In the context of the uncertain global economic development and renewed fears of recession, Liechtenstein’s economy has weakened again after a gradual easing. The value of the KonSens business cycle index deteriorated noticeably again in the second quarter of 2024, from −0.2 to −1.2.

The average life satisfaction of Liechtenstein citizens has recovered, the country is in a good situation overall according to respondents and trust in Liechtenstein institutions such as the police, Princely House and courts remains high. These and other results are presented in the fourth edition of the Liechtenstein Barometer conducted by the Liechtenstein Institute in collaboration with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland.

In the run-up to the vote on joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September, Andreas Brunhart and Martin Geiger were asked by the Liechtensteiner Vaterland about the potential economic impact on the country.

The newly published LI Facts 1/2024 builds on the analyses of LI Focus 2/2024 and places the structural change in Liechtenstein’s industry in a European comparison. Since the 2008/09 financial crisis, value added in Liechtenstein’s industry has grown significantly faster than goods exports. The structural shift of production abroad and simultaneous domestic expansion of headquarters functions are not specific to Liechtenstein. A similar trend can be seen in most Western European countries, while the opposite can be observed in Eastern Europe.