Leader of Faroese Democracy party apologises for failing to meet gender balance goal

The chair of the Faroese political party Demokratia, Niels Uni Dam, has issued a statement acknowledging the party’s failure to achieve its target of 10 female candidates in the recent parliamentary elections, reports Faroese broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

Dam congratulated the 10 women who did secure nominations but expressed regret that the party fell short of its goal, which had been set 15 years ago. “In a Faroe Islands where our young people are leaving in large numbers, and where women in particular are not returning, the need for better female representation is urgent,” he said.

He described the current level of gender balance as “disappointing,” noting that the Faroe Islands remains “a laggard in equality” and has never had as many as one-third of its parliament seats held by women. Dam also called on the next coalition government to prioritise gender equality when selecting cabinet members.