Yesterday’s general election in the Faroe Islands saw the leading opposition party Javnaðarflokkurin (Social Democrats) become the largest political party of the island nation. Led by Aksel V. Johannesen, a former Prime Minister, the Social Democrats claimed nine out of a total 33 seats in the Løgting, the Faroese Parliament.
The leading party of the coalition that has been in charge of the Faroese Government in the past three years or so, Sambandsflokkurin (Unionists) retained their seven-seat parliamentary position, with their main coalition partner, Fólkaflokkurin (Conservatives), however, taking a haircut down to six seats, relegated to third place after being the largest party at the last parliamentary election.
Likewise taking six seats, opposition party Tjóðveldisflokkurin (Republicans) stood their ground. As did the small coalition party Miðflokkurin (Christian Democrats), keeping two seats in the Løgting. The small opposition party Framsókn (Liberals), meanwhile, gained a seat and now have three. The other small party, Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (Independence Party), which sought a balancing act between supporting the coalition and not being part of it, lost their only seat and are thus no longer represented in the Løgting.