Only one Faroese mayor running in upcoming parliamentary election

Only one of the Faroe Islands’ 29 mayors is standing as a candidate in this autumn’s parliamentary election, according to a report by national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

Ólavur Fríði Nybo, mayor of Kunoy Municipality, is the sole mayor running in the Løgting (Faroese Parliament) election, representing the centre-left Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin). This marks a sharp decline in mayoral participation compared to previous elections.

In 2015, 14 mayors ran for parliament, while in 2019, 10 stood as candidates. By the 2022 election, only three mayors were on the ballot. Historically, sitting mayors from Tvøroyri, Sandur, Tórshavn, and Vestmanna have frequently sought parliamentary seats, but this trend has waned in recent years.