Faroe Islands elects new parliament speaker and prime minister

The Faroese parliament, the Løgting, convened for the first time on Monday following the 26 March election, selecting a new speaker and prime minister, Kringvarp Føroya reports.

Johan Dahl of the Union Party was elected as the new speaker of the Løgting. The session also saw the appointment of Beinir Johannesen as prime minister, who will lead a new government with ministers from the Union Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the People’s Party.

The new cabinet includes Bárður á Steig Nielsen (Union Party) as minister for foreign affairs and fisheries, Aksel V. Johannesen (Social Democratic Party) as finance minister, Jacob Vestergaard (People’s Party) as labour minister, Margit Stórá (Social Democratic Party) as minister for social affairs and housing, Eyðdis Hartmann Niclasen (Union Party) as health and energy minister, and Bárður á Lakjuni (People’s Party) as minister for culture.

The session marked a historic moment for Johild Johannesen, mother of both the outgoing prime minister, Aksel V. Johannesen, and the newly appointed prime minister, Beinir Johannesen, who attended the proceedings.