Faroe Islands Parliamentary Election - September 1, 2015

[politicus]

Btw, Does CP have a Youth branch?

Yes, Ung fyri Miðflokkin - Youth for CP. There was a rep for them in the debate, but he was low profile and didn't say anything other than you would have expected him to.

[politicus]

Woult if be possible to say that CP is a loyal party in a coalition? I mean, they did not vote against KLJ , as PP did. And it seems that, beyond their hardcore ethical things, they are flexible on other issues. Am I wrong?

No, they are a solid coalition partner and easy to please if you give them what they want on the SoCon areas (incl. religious education in public schools, which is church controlled, and such).

They broke out of a much more right wing (and now defunct) Christian Peoples Party exactly to become the perfect coalition partner for both sides of each of the two cleavages (left/right and separatist/unionist). Which is why Jenis av Rana going of the deep end is a bit weird, but they are of course threatened on core beliefs with the gay marriage thing.

[politicus]

Yes but religious education in schools is also an ethical thing.

It seems their agenda is weak or non existent in economic or separatis/unionist areas.

I am far away from the views of that party, but to me it appears coherent (although they could avoid things like baning the parade or the like, being against same-sex marriage, for them, makes sense)

Their views are very coherent, but av Ranas rhetoric the time has been shrill and dystopic this time, which makes them look extreme and isolates them, and focused exclusively on gay marriage.

They are naturally very pro-local communities and support fishing quotas reserved to small settlements, government subsidies to ferry routes and local transport etc. Anything that benefit their core electorate. So they are also a periphery-interest party.

They moved away from being mildly separatist to being completely neutral and this seems deliberate. but this time they still proposed a broad "separatist coalition" (incl. them, but not Progress) at the first consultation with the Speaker. But I guess that was desperation.

[politicus]

Well, that depends what church we are talking about. Fólkakirkjan (The Peoplen's Church), which became independent of the Danish Lutheran church in 2007, is the established Lutheran church and mostly tolerant - and also not exclusively SoCon. It's Bishop is actually in favor of legalized abortion. It is against church gay marriage and the use of the term marriage for gay relationships, but has no opinion of registered partnerships. 83.8% of the Faroese are members, but of those 7.4% are also members of the Pietistic Inner Mission. Outside of Folkakirkjan 11.4% are in the Plymouth Brethren and 1.5% Pentecostalists. Then there are about 1-2% in several more radical evangelical sects. So you got around 22% who are fundis in some form or another.

CP is based on Inner Mission, Plymouth Brethren, Pentecostalists and various charismatic sects, not the mainstream Lutherans.

[politicus]

So you got a relatively large group of voters, who are fundamentalists and their votes are spread over most parties. Fx. Southern Suduroy is a fundi stronghold, but also an SD stronghold.

[politicus]

Jenis av Rana is also the Scandinavian leader of World Christian Doctors Network (WCDN), which attempts to medically analyze supposed healing cases performed by God. So he is into the whole divine healing thing.  WCDN is founded by controversial, to say the least, South Korean cult leader and healer Jaerock Lee (72), who is the president of The United Holiness Church of Korea and the World Christianity Revival Mission Association.

Besides being the municipal physician of Torshavn Jenis av Rana is also a lay preacher and his political speeches and sermons are basically one and the same.

[politicus]

Do you have any link on the established Faroese Folkekirke Bishop opinion on gay wedding?

Not really, but asked in this interview what would happen "if the Faroese Bishop accepted gay marriage?" he says  "then there probably wouldn't be that much Folkakjyrka left".

He also admits that the main reason there was such a huge support for separation from the Danish church was that the Danish church was seen as too liberal.

It is pretty informative. One of the problems is that young people from mainstream families no longer study theology, so only the very conservatives become Ministers. There is also a tendency that they seek very conservative/non-mainstream seminars in Denmark giving young right wingers the paradoxical nickname "the Danish priests".

He has ordered consevative Ministers to work with their female colleagues, but otherwise tried to avoid confrontation with them. Even if the deadly says he will modernize the church.

http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/kirke-tro/biskop-vil-modernisere-den-færøske-folkekirke

[politicus]

And are there any Catholics up there?

Have been continuously since the 1930s. Around 130 and 6 Franciscan nuns. They have a church in Torshavn:

[politicus]

In the end of the interview to tbe bishop, these lines are interesting. He said that in 2010.

– Status er i dag, at Færøerne ganske langsomt, men sikkert går mod at blive et moderne internationalt samfund. Og det betyder også, at sekulariseringen allerede er godt på vej. Vores levevis, også biskoppens, viser, at vi er børn af vores tid.

Sure, and "only" 38% goes to church regularly by the last count. That is way above the Scandinavian mainland but not like the Faroes of yore.

[politicus]

Thanks for the link!!

Probably besides that the Danish curch was more liberal, there is a nationalistic thing in taking over the Church.

The Church has historically been very important in the Faroes, it can be seen as a "national" matter.

That goes without saying, but the point was that the Danish church being too liberal was actually even more important in securing a fast break with very high numbers in support (even before they were really ready).

[politicus]

How are the developments going?

No news, maybe they do keep the Sabbath after all

[politicus]

How are the developments going?

They negotiated through last night. They will resume on Monday with the relationship to Denmark/union issue and the fishing quotas. Aksel Johannessen said he expected them to have a result after a couple of days in next week. But we will now more after Monday when they have started on the hard stuff.

[politicus]

So, Pogress or Home Rule, or both. No one knows.

Both are still in.

[politicus]

So basially on Wednesday we will know everything.

Yeah most likely, but we will already know more after tomorrow. If it is going smoothly when they have talked a day about the two hardest issues things will be okay. Home Rule are most likely to drop out over fishing quotas and the whole coalition to collapse over unionism, so if things are going okay with those two it will be a quartet.

[politicus]

Once they announce they will have a coalition, they already have to disclose the names and position of each minister?

No sure if they have to, but they will do it.

[politicus]

do they proceed the same way in Denmark when they form a coalition?

Not quite, the Speaker does not play the same role. Technically the Monarch is involved and we have dronningerunder "Queen rounds" where the party leaders says to the Queen, who they want to be the "Royal enquirer". In reality it is the outgoing PM, who advises the monarch on this since she is supposed to be apolitical. The Faroese could use a substitute for the monarch for this (a high ranking civil servant), but they use the Speaker for this role and so do the Greenlanders. And Danish governments always stays on as caretaker administrations until a new one is formed.

[politicus]

Any news around?

Btw, you mentioned that the leader of the Centre Party was a doctor in the Faroe Islands. I was wondering, do they keep their actual jobs while being MP or do they work exclusively as MP?

AKsel J. says they will finish during this week. One aspect that makes it harder is that a budget proposal will have to be presented at October 1 as the latest. SD prefers just to prolong the current one since there is so little time, but it seems the others might want some changes.

It varies whether they keep their jobs.

[politicus]

but beyond that, 4 mates coalition, apparently?

Apparently, but he has an interest in saying things are going well, so who knows.

and what about the other issues: fishing cuotas, gay marriage....nothing said?

No.

[politicus]

At some point during this week we will know a bit more I guess.

Yeah, right now Faroese media are totally dominated by the Danish boat refugee situation, and I only found an article talking about that they might get a gender equal government for the first time because there are so many well qualified women in SD (Rigmor Dam, Eyðgunn Samuelsen) and Republic (Sirið Stenberg, Kristina Háfoss, Katrin Kallsberg, Annita á Fríðriksmørk) + Hanna Jensen from Progress.

Another matter is the distribution because they do not have many portfolios. KLJ started out with a 3-3-1-1 distribution and then simply closed the Ministry of the Interior (which incl. traffic, police (mostly union matter), municipalities and environment) and spread it out.

The current portfolios are:

PM
Deputy PM (always combined with something else)
Finance
Health
Culture (incl. education)   
Fishing
Business (incl. farming)
Social service (often merged into health)

Since it is a left wing dominated government they may reintroduce a separate Ministry of the Environment and I expect the Ministry of the Interior to reemerge, it was a bit weird closing it - Højgaard could get it back, or Skorheim (but he is also Mayor, so I expect Højgaard - if they keep the second seat). They might also reintroduce a Foreign Affairs ministry with all the separatists in this coalition. Republic leader Høgni Hoydal has had it before and I could see him wanting it back together with Deputy PM. I am fairly certain Katrin Kallsberg from Republic will get health. She is a gynecologist and chairman of the Board of Gender Equality and  almost too capable to waste. I expect Poul Michelsen from Progress to get either Business or Fishing, probably business. Unless he chooses to stay out and Hanna Jensen gets Culture (she is a high school teacher), but that is unlikely.


My guess:

SD:
PM Aksel V. Johannesen
Fishing one of the 3 Suduroy MPs (Hammer, Michelsen, Old - probably Michelsen)
Culture Rigmor Dam

Republic:
Deputy PM/Foreign Affairs Høgni Holdall
Finance Kristina Háfoss (economist)
Health and Social Services Katrin Kallsberg (or Stenberg, she has seniority and got more votes)

Progress:
Business Poul Michelsen

Home Rule:
Interior Kari Højgaard


Finance would likely go to Eyðgunn Samuelsen if SD gets it (but I think Republics position is too strong for that). She has been on the Finance Committee for years. Annita á Fríðriksmørk is a former Minister of Culture and would likely get that post again if Republic gets it.

I doubt there will be gender equality because the two small parties will appoint men and both Johannessen and Hoydal will be in + fishing is a male "prerogative". It was more likely in a three party coalition. But 5-3 sounds likely. Maybe 5-4 if they reintroduce Environment (could be combined with Energy/Oil).

[politicus]

Well, if Poul Michelsen demands fishing to sort out the quota system Eyðgunn Samuelsen could get Business and it would be 4-4.

On second thought I think Sirið Stenberg will get health. She is #2 on their list and that really matters up there (if you have experience). Samuelsen was #3 on the SD list and I think will try hard to find a spot for her.

Sonja J. is too unexperienced in politics to get into the government.


Revised guess:

SD:
PM Aksel V. Johannesen
Business Eyðgunn Samuelsen
Culture Rigmor Dam

Republic:
Deputy PM/Foreign Affairs Høgni Hoydal
Finance Kristina Háfoss
Health and Social Services Sirið Stenberg

Progress:
Fishing Poul Michelsen

Home Rule:
Interior Kari Højgaard

[politicus]

It is just a negotiation on names now?

No, far from it. But it is overshadowed in the Faroese media by the refugee crisis right now, so there are no news. Many Faroese have relatives in Denmark and the boat people (flóttafólkum) situation is a big deal up there.

[politicus]

About the Syrian refugees? what is the relation with the Faroes? I am lost.

None directly, but Denmark suddenly being "invaded" like that is a big deal to them. We are not used to scenes like that in Scandinavia, it is not like in the Mediterranean where desperate refugees have been common for years and getting "normalized" in peoples mind.

[politicus]

What is the Danish position about that? I mean the government.

They are trying to lay low and hope the refugees go to Sweden by themselves (which is where most of them want to go anyway). The DPP is trying to pressure them to "get tough" and reintroduce border control, which might ironically mean more refugees will get registered in Denmark.

But I would rather not talk about that in this thread. Lets wait and see if taking war refugees is part of the new Faroese government agreement - it might well be, there is lobbying from academics, media people, Red Cross etc.

(to other posters: no Danish refugee policy talk/comment here, pls)

[politicus]

But how far can the Faroese go in this matter, separate from the Danish government? I mean, can the Faroese authorities do something different? I assume such foreign policy matter is in the hands of Denmark.

Foreign policy is a "realm matter" (but one of the things SD wants Faroese control of), so they can't have their own refugee policy.

They can offer to take a share of either the Danish UN refugee quota or boat people coming to Denmark, and DK would of course gladly accept such an offer.

[politicus]

Is there anything comparable to DF in Faroese politics?

No! They have 0.04% Muslims