Referendum against the Corona policy taken

Vaccination opponents and corona skeptics have gone on the offensive in Liechtenstein. They called the referendum against the 2-G law, which Parliament passed with a large majority in a special session at the end of June. If the opponents succeed in collecting at least 1,000 signatures by August 1, the electorate will have to decide on the law, which is limited to one year, in the fall. The 2-G law gives the government the power to combat the Covid 19 pandemic to restrict access to facilities, businesses and events to people who can provide proof of vaccination or recovery.

This clarification had become necessary after the state court, as the highest constitutional court, had declared the 2-G government ordinance to be inconsistent with the law and the constitution. The introduction of the 2-G certificate obligation lacks the national legal basis. The constitutional assessment had been requested by groups critical of vaccination, which had already reached the constitutional court because of the 3-G regulation.

In its judgment, the State Court expressed a certain understanding that the government was faced with difficult decisions when it came to measures to combat the pandemic. But in the case of drastic regulations such as the 2-G certificate obligation, which does not recognize a negative corona test, a legal basis is needed. The reference to the Swiss epidemic law, to which Liechtenstein is bound via the customs union agreement, is not enough.

With the hasty passage of the 2-G law, the government and parliament have completed the tasks imposed by the state court. But there were already voices in Parliament calling for a referendum on this. In the meantime, a new political group has called the referendum against the 2-G law. With the catchphrase “Give the people a voice”, the group is trying to get the necessary signatures for a referendum. Ultimately, it is about empowering the government to introduce compulsory vaccination through the back door.

The group appears under the name “Focus on people”, as a new party with the short name MiM, it pursues the “consistent use of grassroots democratic approaches and tools”. The people of Liechtenstein should be able to lead a free, self-determined life in which state interference in private and public life is kept to a minimum. The mission statement is not limited to pandemic legislation, but includes statements on almost all political areas.

If the referendum is held, there will likely be controversy before the referendum in the fall. The founders of the new MiM party include opponents of the Corona measures, who gathered every Monday for a demonstration in front of the government building in Vaduz last year. Critical and negative voices were also raised in parliament against the 2-G law, which one of the MPs even described as a “surveillance system comparable to China”. Others wondered if the 3G rule would not be enough to contain the potential resurgence of the pandemic.

In response to these proposals, Society Minister Manuel Frick warned that Liechtenstein should not allow itself any regulatory differences compared to Switzerland. According to him, the purpose of the 2G Act is to be prepared if Switzerland enacts drastic measures. A regulatory gap must be prevented above all because Liechtenstein is dependent on the intensive care units in Swiss hospitals in an emergency.