Faroese self-governance party retains parliamentary seat after recount

The Self-Government Party (Sjálvstýri) has secured a seat in the Faroese Parliament after a recount reversed initial election night results, party leader Sámal Petur í Grund told public broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

Initial vote counts on Thursday evening suggested the party had lost its single seat in the Løgting, the Faroese Parliament. However, after a full recount, Sámal Petur í Grund was declared elected with 551 votes.

Speaking after the result, í Grund said the party’s survival in parliament was critical. “If we had lost representation this time, the Self-Government Party—with 120 years of history—would have disappeared into the past,” he stated.

The Self-Government Party, founded in 1906, advocates for Faroese independence and has been a consistent, though minor, presence in Faroese politics.