Faroese politician surprised by ministerial appointment

Elsebeth Mercedis Gunnleygsdóttir, a newly elected member of the Faroese parliament for the People’s Party, said she did not expect to be appointed to the government, Faroese broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya reports.

Gunnleygsdóttir, the only woman directly elected to parliament for the People’s Party, was ranked third on the party’s list behind Beinir Johannesen and Bárður á Steig Nielsen, both of whom secured ministerial positions. Despite her lower ranking, she was appointed ahead of Jacob Vestergaard, who did not receive a cabinet post.

When asked in a radio interview why she was not offered a ministerial role, Gunnleygsdóttir responded: “You’ll have to ask the men about that.”

She later admitted she had not anticipated being appointed at all. “To be honest, I didn’t expect it to work out for me, if I can put it that way,” she said.