Daniel Risch (born 5 March 1978) is a politician from Liechtenstein who has served as the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein since 2021.[1] He was previously Deputy Prime Minister 2017 to 2021, under the government of Adrian Hasler.[2]

His Excellency
Daniel Risch
Official portrait, 2021
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
Assumed office
25 March 2021
MonarchsHans-Adam II
Alois (regent)
DeputySabine Monauni
Preceded byAdrian Hasler
Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
In office
30 March 2017 – 25 March 2021
MonarchsHans-Adam II
Alois (regent)
Prime MinisterAdrian Hasler
Preceded byThomas Zwiefelhofer
Succeeded bySabine Monauni
Personal details
Born (1978-03-05) 5 March 1978 (age 46)
Grabs, Switzerland
Political partyPatriotic Union
SpouseJasmin Schädler
Children2
Parent(s)Hans Risch
Erika Sprenger
CabinetDaniel Risch cabinet

Early career edit

Risch previously attended Liechtenstein Grammar School in Vaduz from 1990 to 1998, and received a business baccalaureate.[2] He later studied business administration at the Swiss universities of St. Gallen and Zurich, as well as the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich from 1999 to 2003.[2] He graduated with a degree in economics (lic. oec. publ.) from the University of Zurich.[3]

Risch then started doctoral studies in business informatics at the University of Freiburg in 2004,[2] and from 2006 to 2007 was a visiting scholar at the University of Melbourne as part of a research stay.[2] During this period, he also worked as a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland [de].[2] He completed his studies at Freiburg in 2007 and received a doctorate in economics (dr. rer. pol.).[3]

From 2007, he was the Project Manager, Head of Sales and Chief Marketing Officer at Unic AG, an e-business consulting company, in Zurich and Bern.[2] From 2015 until entering government in 2017, he worked as Chief Marketing Officer at Liechtensteinische Post.[3]

From 2015 to 2017, he was a board member at a Liechtensteiner forum for information and communications technology (IKT Forum Liechtenstein).[3]

Prime Minister of Liechtenstein edit

 
Risch meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in May 2022

Following the 2017 Liechtenstein general election, he was nominated as Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein in a coalition government with the Progressive Citizens' Party. As Deputy Prime Minister, he also served as Minister of Infrastructure, Economic Affairs and Sports.[2] The 2021 Liechtenstein general election resulted in a virtual tie between the Patriotic Union and the Progressive Citizens' Party, and Risch was appointed as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein on 25 March 2021, heading a new coalition government with the Progressive Citizens' Party leader Sabine Monauni.[1][4]

Risch has supported increased cooperation and integration between the European Union and European Free Trade Association in addition to further progress to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.[5] His government has speer-headed Liechtenstein's support for Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, starting in February 2022.[6][7]

In February 2024, Risch announced that he would not be running for re-election in the 2025 Liechtenstein general election.[8][9]

Personal life edit

Since 2009, Risch has been a member of the Founding Committee, Organising Committee and Patronage Body of the FL1.LIFE festival in Schaan. He is married to Jasmin Schädler (born 20 October 1974) and has two children.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "New Government Sworn In". liechtensteinusa.org. Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington D.C. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Dr Daniel Risch". regierung.li. The Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Editorial (27 April 2021). "Risch, Daniel". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Liechtenstein election: Just 23 ballots separate two biggest parties that will now form coalition". euronews. Agence France-Presse. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  5. ^ "«Grüner Wandel» der EU wird unterstützt". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 31 October 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Liechtenstein verurteilt die russische Aggression gegen die Ukraine" [Liechtenstein condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine]. regierung.li (in German). 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Risch bekräftigt Solidarität mit der Ukraine". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 19 March 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Alle drei VU-Regierungsräte kandidieren 2025 nicht mehr". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  9. ^ Quaderer, Elias (19 February 2024). "Aus diesen Gründen tritt das bisherige VU-Regierungsteam 2025 nicht mehr an". Liechtensteiner Vaterland (in German). Retrieved 19 February 2024.

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
2017–2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
2021–present
Incumbent