Mario Frick (politician)


Mario K. Frick is a former Head of Government of Liechtenstein and attorney-at-law.

Prime Minister of Liechtenstein

He was the Deputy Prime Minister from May 1993, and after the elections of October 1993 he became Europe's youngest Head of Government at 28 years old.
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Liechtenstein entered the European Economic Area after a successful referendum in 1995, and experienced economic growth. However, it also faced problems in its foreign relations, such as a dispute with the Czech Republic begun in 1992 over the confiscation of Prince Hans Adam's estates in 1945, and a 2001 dispute with Germany in the International Court of Justice over royal property confiscated in order to pay war debts.

Expanding Princely powers

After the end of his term as Prime Minister, Frick was notably prominent in the political controversy surrounding the constitutional referendum in 2003, whereby it was proposed that the ruling Prince be given wider powers; a number of other measures were also proposed. Frick led the opposition to the proposed changes which, however, were subsequently approved by the electorate.