Sjálvstýri (previously Sjálvstýrisflokkurin) (English: referred to interchangeably as Independence, Self-Government, or Home Rule) is a liberal, autonomist political party on the Faroe Islands. It is currently led by Sámal Petur í Grund.
History Nýtt Sjálvstýri traditionally supported greater autonomy for the Faroes within the Kingdom of Denmark, but in 1998 it agreed, as part of a coalition deal with Tjóðveldi and Fólkaflokkurin, to support national independence for the Faroes. Today it supports obtaining independence through gradually increasing Faroese autonomy until the Faroe Islands becomes a de facto independent state.
At the 2008 election to the Løgting, the party won 7.2% of the popular vote and two out of 33 seats. In early elections in 2011, the party's vote fell to 4.2% and it lost one seat.Kringvarp.fo, Results from the political elections 2011 and 2008 At the 2011 election to the Løgting, the party won 4% of the votes; two members were elected. The party failed to reach the electoral threshold of 3.03% in the 2022 general election and therefore did not win any seats. It reentered the Løgting in the 2026 general election with 1 seat.
Leaders Party leaders Sámal Petur í Grund 18 December 2022– (acting) Kári P. Højgaard 23 February–18 December 2022 Jógvan Skorheim 9 April 2015–23 February 2022 Kári P. Højgaard 2011–2015 Kári á Rógvi 2010–2011 Kári P. Højgaard 2003–2010 Eyðun Elttør 2001–2003 Sámal Petur í Grund 2001 Helena Dam á Neystabø 1994–2001 Hilmar Kass 1971–1994 Niels Winther Poulsen 1962–1971 Louis Zachariasen 1939–1962 Edward Mitens 1936–1939 Jóannes Patursson 1909–1936 Parliamentary leaders Kári P. Højgaard 2013–present Jógvan Skorheim 2011–2013 Kári P. Højgaard 2001–2011 Sámal Petur í Grund 1998–2001 Helena Dam á Neystabø 1993–1998 Lasse Klein 1988–1993 Hilmar Kass 1970–1988
Current members of the Løgting As of the 2026 general election:
Name Elected (E), Re-elected (R), or Appointed (A) Votes obtained in the general election Title Sámal Petur í Grund E 549 Member of the Løgting
Election results Faroese general election Year Votes Seats Position#%# ± 1910 289 24.3 New 2nd 1912 365 41.6 0 2nd 1914 625 47.2 1 2nd 1916 542 51.7 1 1st 1918 2,938 49.7 2 2nd 1920 2,476 41.6 1 2nd 1924 2,450 39.1 0 2nd 1928 2,680 42.3 1 2nd 1932 2,931 37.3 3 2nd 1936 2,694 34.2 0 1st 1940 1,365 16.2 4 4th 1943 1,001 10.4 4 4th 1945 1,235 9.4 0 4th 1946 With the Social Democratic Party 2 3rd 1950 957 8.2 0 5th 1954 908 7.1 0 5th 1958 816 5.9 0 5th 1962 892 5.9 0 5th 1966 867 4.9 1 5th 1970 1,010 5.6 0 5th 1974 1,430 7.2 1 5th 1978 1,626 7.2 0 5th 1980 1,953 8.4 1 5th 1984 2,135 8.5 1 5th 1988 2,033 7.1 0 5th 1990 2,489 8.8 1 5th 1994 1,437 5.6 1 8th 1998 2,116 7.6 0 5th 2002 1,351 4.4 1 5th 2004 1,461 4.6 0 6th 2008 2,244 7.2 1 6th 2011 1,290 4.2 1 7th 2015 1,305 4.0 1 7th 2019 1,157 3.4 1 7th 2022 938 2.7 1 7th 2026 1,284 3.6 1 7th Danish general election Year Votes Members#% 1939 314 5.0 1943 Did not contest 1945 With the Social Democratic Party 1947 809 8.4 1950 535 14.8 1953 (Apr) 351 10.4 1953 (Sept) Did not contest 1957 1960 1964 1966 1968 1971 648 4.9 1973 553 4.2 1975 Did not contest 1977 551 3.4 1979 797 4.3 1981 867 5.2 1984 1,033 5.6 1987 1,070 4.8 1988 897 3.9 1990 1,240 6.9 1994 469 2.4 1998 1,603 7.7 2001 434 1.6 2005 585 2.4 2007 799 3.5 2011 483 2.3 2015 400 1.7 2019 334 1.3 2022Did not contest 2026
References
External links Official website