Abbreviation DU Founded 2013 Political position Right-wing | Leader Harry Quaderer Ideology Right-wing populism | |
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Headquarters Feldkircherstrasse 50
LI-9494 Schaan | ||
The Independents (German: Die Unabhängigen, abbreviated DU), is a right-wing populist political party in Liechtenstein. In the 2013 parliamentary election, the first they contested, they won 29,740 votes (15.3%) and four seats in the Landtag. DU is headed by former Patriotic Union parliamentarian Harry Quaderer.
DU is not a party in the traditional sense, having incorporated as a party solely to take advantage of the financial and political rights associated with that status; its platform calls for Members of the Landtag to be able to vote based on their own convictions rather than party pressures. According to politicial science professor Wouter Veenendaal, the DU has an ideology "similar to that of the Progressive Citizens' Party and the Patriotic Union but its style is brasher." The party rejects Angela Merkel's migration politics.
International commentators suggested that the party had benefited from protest votes against austerity measures.