Faroese national church elects new governing bodies

The Faroe Islands’ national church is electing members to its diocesan council and deanery council on Wednesday, with results expected later in the evening, national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya reports.

Voting follows a month-long process that concluded at 13:00 local time, with ballots now being counted. The elections determine representation in two key bodies: the **Faroese Diocesan Council** (*Stiftsstjórn*), which oversees church finances—including clergy salaries and property maintenance—and the **Deanery Council** (*Próstadømisráð*), which supervises parish budgets, asset management, and building projects.

The diocesan council consists of three members: the bishop, a civil servant appointed by the government, and one representative elected by parish council members. Three electoral colleges each nominate one candidate for the single elected seat.

The deanery council comprises the dean and four elected members, chosen by parish council representatives and local clergy. Seven electoral colleges nominate candidates for the four seats.

As of January 1 last year, 76.1 percent of the Faroese population were registered members of the national church (*Fólkakirkjan*), which operates as a public institution funded by mandatory church taxes and state subsidies. The church is structured into 62 parishes, 16 deaneries, and one diocese.

Voting opened on March 4 and ran through Wednesday. The national church holds formal recognition from Faroese authorities, functioning under public law with financial support from both tax revenues and government budgets.