Three Faroese parties achieve gender balance on election lists

Three of the Faroe Islands’ seven political parties have achieved gender balance in their candidate lists for this year’s parliamentary election, national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya reports.

The parties—Tjóðveldi (Republic), Framsókn (Progress), and Javnaðarflokkurin (Social Democratic Party)—have all publicly committed to prioritising gender equality in their election preparations. Their efforts come as 62 women stand as candidates in the upcoming Løgting (Faroese Parliament) election.

Tjóðveldi leads in gender representation, with one more woman than man on its list. Framsókn has an equal number of female and male candidates, while Javnaðarflokkurin has one more man than woman.

Marna Jacobsen, former leader of the Demokratia party, emphasised the importance of formal commitments to gender balance. “The fewer parties that bind themselves to gender equality on their lists, the fewer women there will be,” she said.

The remaining four parties—Sambandsflokkurin (Union Party), Fólkaflokkurin (People’s Party), Miðflokkurin (Centre Party), and Sjálvstýri (Self-Government Party)—have not made similar pledges. Women make up roughly one-third of candidates for Sambandsflokkurin and Fólkaflokkurin, while Miðflokkurin and Sjálvstýri have only one woman for every four or five men on their lists.