Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands)

The Social Democratic Party[2] (Faroese: Javnaðarflokkurin, JF; literally the Equality Party) is a social-democratic[3] political party on the Faroe Islands, led by Aksel V. Johannesen.

Social Democratic Party Javnaðarflokkurin
Leader	Aksel V. Johannesen
Founded	25 September 1925
Headquarters	Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Youth wing	Socialist Youth
Ideology	Danish unionism[1] Social democracy[1]
Political position	Centre-left
National affiliation	Social Democrats
Nordic affiliation	SAMAK The Social Democratic Group
Colours	Red
Løgting	7 / 33
Folketing (Faroe seats)	1 / 2
Election symbol
C
Website
www.j.fo
Politics of the Faroe Islands Political parties Elections

History

The Social Democratic Party was founded on 25 September 1925 by members of Faroese trade unions.

Its youth organization Sosialistiskt Ungmannafelag (Socialist Youth) was founded in 1965.[4]

At the 2004 general election on 20 January 2004, the party received 21.8% of the popular vote and therefore won 7 out of 33 seats in the Løgting.

At the 2008 general election on 19 January 2008, the party received 19.3% of the popular vote and therefore won 6 out of 33 seats.[5]

In the 2011 election for the Danish Folketing, the party improved its vote share to 21.0%, and took one of the two Faroese seats previously held by Republic. The elected representative of the Social Democratic Party in the Folketing is Sjúrður Skaale, who received 1539 personal votes.[6]

At the 2011 general election on 29 October 2011, the party received 17.8% of the popular vote and therefore won 6 out of 33 seats.

At the 2015 general election on 1 September 2015, the party received 25.1% of the vote, winning a plurality of 8 seats in the Løgting.

Ideology

The party is officially neutral on the matter of independence from Denmark, but generally leans towards remaining in the union. In the Danish Folketing, the Social Democratic Party supports the "Red Bloc" led by the Social Democrats of Denmark.

Party leaders

• Aksel V. Johannesen 2011–present
• Jóannes Eidesgaard 1996–2011
• Marita Petersen 1993–1996
• Atli Dam 1972–1993
• Jákup Frederik Øregaard 1969–1972
• Einar Waag 1968–1969
• Peter Mohr Dam 1936–1968
• Maurentius Viðstein 1926–1936

Current members of the Løgting

• Aksel V. Johannesen
• Henrik Old
• Heðin Mortensen
• Bjarni Hammer
• Djóni Nolsøe Joensen
• Ingilín Didriksen Strøm
• Jóhannis Joensen

History of Javnaðarflokkurin in Faroese general elections

Faroese general elections 1928–2015

Year	Votes		Members
	#	%
1928	671	10.6	2 / 23
1932	825	10.5	2 / 21
1936	1,891	24.0	6 / 24
1940	2,012	23.9	6 / 24
1943	1,919	19.9	5 / 25
1945	3,305	22.8	6 / 23
1946	3,705	28.1	4 / 20
1950	2,605	22.4	6 / 25
1954	2,518	19.8	5 / 27
1958	3,589	25.8	8 / 30
1962	4,161	27.5	8 / 29
1966	4,751	27.0	7 / 26
1970	4,916	27.2	7 / 26
1974	5,125	25.8	7 / 26
1978	5,062	22.3	8 / 32
1980	5,043	21.7	8 / 32
1984	5,879	23.4	8 / 32
1988	6,233	21.6	7 / 32
1990	7,805	27.5	10 / 32
1994	3,918	15.4	5 / 32
1998	6,063	21.9	7 / 32
2002	6,378	20.9	7 / 32
2004	6,921	21.8	7 / 32
2008	6,018	19.3	6 / 33
2011	5,428	17.8	6 / 33
2015	8,093	25.1	8 / 33
2019	7,480	22.1	7 / 33

References

1. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Faroes/Denmark". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
2. Tom Lansford (2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. SAGE Publications. p. 392. ISBN 978-1-4833-3327-4.
3. Christina Bergqvist (1999). Equal Democracies?: Gender and Politics in the Nordic Countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. p. 318. ISBN 978-82-00-12799-4.
4. J.fo, From the history of the Social Democratic Party of the Faroe Islands
5. UF.fo, Løgtingsvalið 19. januar 2008
6. Kringvarp.fo Archived 2012-08-03 at Archive.today

External links

• Official web site (in Faroese)