PM: lack of gender diversity is unfortunate

It is highly unusual for a Faroese prime minister to appoint any ministers other than those nominated by the political parties.

So says Prime Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen in his reply to Javnaðarflokkurin MP Ingilín Didriksen Strøm, who had submitted a written enquirty about gender equality in government.

There have been seven different governments this century. The current government and the one in 2004-2008 are the only ones that have consisted entirely of male ministers.

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This is unfortunate, says the Prime Minister.

"The Faroese Home Rule Law, section 27, subsection 2, states that it is the Prime Minister who is in charge of appointing ministers. Such appointments have traditionally been based on nominations from the government parties, and if the Prime Minister finds these people capable of holding a ministerial post, they are appointed,” he says.

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“I do not know of any Prime Minister who has appointed ministers other than those nominated by the parties.

"I urge all political parties to start paying more attention to gender equality when nominating ministers.”

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

More Faroese News in English.