Liechtenstein changes succession rule to allow women to ascend the throne

What the report says

Liechtenstein has announced a change to its royal succession rules so that a woman can inherit the throne if she is the first-born child. The BBC reported that the House of Liechtenstein said the succession order is moving from male primogeniture to absolute primogeniture, a system under which the eldest child inherits regardless of sex. The announcement was made on the country’s national day, according to the report.

The change does not alter the current line of succession. Prince Hans-Adam II remains the head of the royal family, while his son, Hereditary Prince Alois, is first in line and has been carrying out most official duties for about two decades. The new rule will instead apply to the descendants of Alois and his wife, Hereditary Princess Sophie.

In a statement cited by the BBC, Alois said the aim is to ensure that both the principality and the Princely House are led by the person best prepared for the role. The report added that Liechtenstein is a small, doubly landlocked country between Switzerland and Austria, and that its ruler has wider political powers than many other European monarchs. As background, other European monarchies, including the United Kingdom, have already adopted similar gender-neutral succession rules.