Faroese general election, 2011

Faroese general election, 2011

29 October 2011
All 33 seats in the Løgting 17 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   150x150px Leader Kaj Leo Johannesen Jørgen Niclasen Høgni Hoydal Party Union People's Republic Last election 7 seats, 21.0% 7 seats, 20.1% 8 seats, 23.3% Seats won 8 8 6 Seat change 1 1 2 Popular vote 7,546 6,883 5,589 Percentage 24.7% 22.5% 18.3%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   150x150px 150x150px Leader Aksel V. Johannesen Poul Michelsen Jenis av Rana Party Social Democratic Progress Centre Last election 6 seats, 19.3% New 3 seats, 8.4% Seats won 6 2 2 Seat change 0 2 1 Popular vote 5,428 1,933 1,883 Percentage 17.8% 6.3% 6.2%   Seventh party   150x150px Leader Kári P. Højgaard Party Self-Government Last election 2 seats, 7.2% Seats won 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 1,290 Percentage 4.2%
Prime Minister before election Kaj Leo Johannesen Union Prime Minister Kaj Leo Johannesen Union

Early parliamentary elections were held in the Faroe Islands on 29 October 2011. Faroese law states that new elections must be held at least once every four years; however, either the Prime Minister (Løgmaður) or a majority of the members of the Faroese Parliament (the Løgting) may call an election before the end of this period. The previous elections having been held on 20 January 2008, the latest date on which the next elections could have been held was 19 January 2012. However, the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands, Kaj Leo Johannesen, announced on 27 September 2011 that elections would be held on 29 October 2011. He gave no particular reason for his decision.

Parliamentary elections must be held no earlier than four weeks and no later than five weeks after the announcement has been made.

Results

The centre-right parties gained significantly, with both the pro-union Union Party and pro-independence People's Party gaining a seat each, while the new Progress movement (classical liberal) – formed seven months earlier as a breakaway from the People's Party – entered the Løgting with two seats. The left-wing and centrist parties all lost ground in consequence.

 Summary of the results of the election to the Faroese Løgting
held on 29 October 2011

Parties		Votes	%	Seats
	Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin)	7,546	24.7	8
	People's Party (Fólkaflokkurin)	6,883	22.5	8
	Republic (Tjóðveldi)	5,589	18.3	6
	Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin)	5,428	17.8	6
	Progress (Framsókn)	1,933	6.3	2
	Centre Party (Miðflokkurin)	1,883	6.2	2
	Self-Government Party (Sjálvstýrisflokkurin)	1,290	4.2	1
Totals (electorate 35,447 : turnout 86.6% )		30,552	100.0	33
Source: logting.elektron.fo (turnout includes invalid votes; other figures exclude invalid votes)

See also

• List of members of the Løgting, 2011–2015