Faroese parliamentary election recount could delay opening of parliament

The recount of votes from the Faroese parliamentary election could delay the start of the new legislative session, Faroese broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya reports.

Only three votes separated candidates on both the Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) and Republic (Tjóðveldi) party lists, prompting a full manual recount at Hotel Hafnia in Tórshavn on Monday. The process involves 27 officials reviewing all 35,309 ballots cast in the election, where voter turnout reached 89.5%.

Malan Johansen, chair of both the parliamentary and general election committees, confirmed that errors were discovered during the initial count of the general election, primarily involving incorrectly marked ballots. The recount follows stricter security measures after a local election official in Oyndarfjørður was charged with electoral fraud last year.

A total of 160 candidates from seven parties contested the election. Officials must also verify 147 blank and 75 invalid ballots. The final results will determine whether the narrow margins on the Union Party and Republic lists shift any seats.

The recount is expected to be completed in a single day, though the meticulous process—including resealing and reopening ballot boxes—could extend the timeline. The outcome may impact the composition of the 33-seat Løgting, the Faroese parliament, and potentially delay its first session.