Løgting

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Løgting
coat of arms Løgtingið
logo Løgtingið
Basic data
Seat: Løgtingið,
Tórshavn
Legislative period : 4 years
First session: around 900
MPs: 33
Current legislative period
Last choice: August 31, 2019
Chair: Løgtingsformaðurin
Páll á Reynatúgvu ( Tjóðveldi )
       
Distribution of seats: Government (17):
  • Fólkaflokkurin 8
  • Sambandsflokkurin 7
  • Miðflokkurin 2
    • Opposition (16):
  • Javnaðarflokkurin 7
  • Tjóðveldi 6
  • Framsókn 2
  • Sjálvstýri 1
    		•
    Website
    www.logting.fo
    Commemorative stamp for the 150th anniversary of the reopening of Løgting in 2002
    The Løgting in Tórshavn. Old and new building in 2005.
    The Løgtingshaus in Tórshavn. Gable view of the old building.

    The Løgting [ ˈlœktiŋg ] is the parliament of the Faroe Islands . It is one of the oldest parliaments in the world. Its roots go back to the year 900, only from 1816 to 1852 there were no conferences.

    The parliament building is a wooden house built in 1856 under Governor Carl Emil Dahlerup and is located north of the original conference venue, the Tinganes peninsula in the center of Tórshavn . In addition to this central thing , there were also local things, the so-called Várting, in each of the seven districts (a Sýsla ) until 1892 . These traditional seven constituencies were merged into a single constituency on October 25, 2007.

    A legislative period lasts four years, and early elections are possible. All citizens who have reached the age of 18 enjoy active and passive voting rights .

    Surname

    The Old Norse word lǫgþing means " assembly of laws, court". The component lǫg means "rule", "law" (related to English law and Latin lex ); Þing means "assembly" or "judgment" (see Thing ).

    Name forms:

    Competencies

    The competences of the Parliament are essentially regulated by the Statute of Autonomy of March 31, 1948, the Fámjin Treaty of March 29, 2005 and the Takeover Act of April 4, 2005.

    Election of the state government

    The Løgting elects the state government of the Faroe Islands . Both the Prime Minister and the other ministers have a seat in Løgting without voting rights . Government members have to suspend their mandate, during which they are represented by someone from the party list. Laws passed by the Løgting have to be confirmed by the Prime Minister to come into force.

    Policy fields

    Løgting's competencies are divided into an A sector and a B sector . The A sector includes all areas of responsibility that can be taken over by the Løgting if either the Løgting or the Danish Folketing so decide. The B sector includes all questions that the Faroese and Danish governments jointly delegate to Løgting.

    In principle , the Løgting is not responsible for national defense , justice and foreign policy . These are a matter for the Kingdom of Denmark . In 2005, however, a bilateral agreement was signed with the Fámjin Treaty, which decisively expanded the relevant competencies of Løgting.

    One of the central tasks of the Løgting is the Faroe Islands' economic policy , which is primarily determined by the fact that the Faroe Islands are not a member of the EU . The Faroe Islands always coordinate with the Danish government in their negotiations with the EU. Further areas of responsibility are home affairs , finance , social affairs , family , health , the environment , transport , culture , education and research .

    Organization of MPs

    Factions

    Parliament has had 33 members since 2007. The following Faroese parties have been represented in Løgting since the election on August 31, 2019 (changes compared to 2015 in brackets):

    Committees

    Løgting has several committees with the following areas of activity:

    Opening of Parliament

    When parliament opened for Ólavsøka in 1930, there was a scandal: The Danebrog was caught and the Merkið hoisted.

    Traditionally, the Løgting is officially opened on the Faroese national holiday Ólavsøka on July 29th. For this purpose, parliamentarians, ministers, clergy and officials gather in front of the parliament building and march in a solemn procession from Niels Finsens gøta to Tórshavner cathedral . After the service, the procession returns to Løgting, where the Løgmaður opens parliament with a speech on the State of the Union.

    The opening of parliament has the character of a festival. The rocky shore of the government peninsula of Tinganes has to be paid for on this day. It forms the best natural grandstand to watch the very popular rowing regatta .

    The Ólavsøka parliamentary session used to be the only session of the year and lasted eight days, from six in the morning to three in the afternoon. There was going to church every day. Up until the 17th century, all seven pastors from the Faroe Islands were present at each of these services.

    Imperial Ombudsman

    Denmark is represented in the Faroe Islands by the Imperial Ombudsman . The ombudsman takes part in the meetings of the Løgting, is allowed to ask questions during Question Time, but has no voting rights. Until the Statute of Autonomy in 1948, the Amtmaður was the official representative of the mother country.

    Election results since 1906

    Løgting elections are usually held every four years. The parties have fixed letters as abbreviations. This is the order in which they appear on the ballot papers. The period since 1906, when the first two political parties were founded and the national movement entered its political stage, is listed.

    What is striking is the relative stability of the election results since 1954, where four parties have fluctuated around 20% each. This corresponds to a balance in the Faroese coordinate system, where a distinction is made not only between left and right, but also in the question of independence. This results in four different tendencies, and they are all roughly equally strong, which results in corresponding compromises when forming coalitions.

    The party letters are:

    A is Fólkaflokkurin
    B is a Sambandsflokkurin
    C is Javnaðarflokkurin
    D is Sjálvstýri
    E is Tjóðveldi
    F is Framsókn , until 1998 Framburðsflokkurin
    G is Verkamannafylkingin
    H is Miðflokkurin
    I is Vinnuflokkurin
    J is Loysingarflokkurin
    K is Framtakið . 2004: Hin Stuttligi Flokkurin
    L is Føroyaflokkurin . 2008: Miðnámsflokkurin . 1988: Framsóknarflokkurin
    M is Frælsisfylkingin
    N is Sosialistiski Loysingarflokkurin
    O is Hin Føroyski Flokkurin
    U is non-party

    In percent

    choice A. B. C. D. E. F. G H I. J K L. M. N O U total
    2019,  31/8 24.5 20.3 22.1 3.4 18.1 4.6 5.4 0.9 0.5 100
    2015,  1/9 18.9 18.7 25.1 4.1 20.7 7.0 5.5 100
    2011,  29/10 22.5 24.7 17.8 4.2 18.3 6.3 6.2 100
    2008,  19/1 20.1 21.0 19.4 7.2 23.3 8.4 0.7 100
    2004,  20/1 20.6 23.7 21.8 4.6 21.7 5.2 2.4 100
    2002,  30/4 20.8 26.0 20.9 4.4 23.7 4.2 100
    1998,  30/4 21.3 18.1 21.9 7.6 23.8 2.5 0.8 4.1 100
    1994,  7/7 16.0 23.4 15.3 5.6 13.7 6.3 9.5 5.8 1.9 2.4 100
    1990,  17/11 21.9 18.9 27.5 8.8 14.7 5.9 2.3 100
    1988,  8/11 23.2 21.2 21.6 7.1 19.2 5.2 2.1 0.0 100
    1984,  8/11 21.6 21.2 23.4 8.5 19.5 5.8 100
    1980,  8/11 18.9 23.9 21.7 8.4 19.0 8.2 100
    1978,  7/11 17.9 26.3 22.3 7.2 20.3 6.1 100
    1974,  7/11 20.5 19.1 25.8 7.2 22.5 2.5 2.5 100
    1970,  7/11 20.0 21.7 27.2 5.6 21.9 3.5 100
    1966,  8/11 21.6 23.7 27.0 4.9 20.0 2.8 100
    1962,  8/11 20.2 20.3 27.5 5.9 21.6 4.4 100
    1958,  8/11 17.8 23.7 25.8 5.9 23.9 2.9 100
    1954,  8/11 20.9 26.0 19.8 7.1 23.8 2.5 100
    1950,  8/11 32.3 27.3 22.4 8.2 9.8 100
    1946,  8/11 40.9 28.7 28.1 2.3 100
    1945,  6/11 43.4 24.4 22.8 9.4 100
    1943,  24/8 41.5 28.3 19.9 10.4 100
    1940,  30/1 24.7 32.3 23.9 16.2 1.6 1.3 100
    1936,  28/1 33.7 24.0 34.2 8.1 100
    1932,  19/1 50.1 10.5 37.3 0.2 1.8 100
    1928,  23/1 46.1 10.6 42.3 1.0 100
    1924,  22/1 58.7 39.1 2.2 100
    1920,  10/11 58.4 41.6 100
    1918,  24/4 50.3 49.7 100
    1916,  28/2 37.9 51.7 10.4 100
    1914,  2/2 52.8 47.2 100
    1912,  2/2 52.3 41.6 6.0 100
    1910,  12/2 72.3 24.3 3.4 100
    1908,  2/2 66.1 33.9 100
    1906,  18/7 62.4 37.6 100

    In mandates

    The seats were then distributed as follows:

    choice A. B. C. D. E. F. G H I. J K L. M. N O U total
    2019,  31/8 8th 7th 7th 1 6th 2 2 0 0 33
    2015,  1/9 6th 6th 8th 2 7th 2 2 33
    2011,  29/10 8th 8th 6th 1 6th 2 2 33
    2008,  19/1 7th 7th 6th 2 8th 3 0 33
    2004,  20/1 7th 7th 7th 1 8th 2 0 32
    2002,  30/4 7th 8th 7th 1 8th 1 32
    1998,  30/4 8th 6th 7th 2 8th 0 1 0 32
    1994,  17/7 6th 8th 7th 2 8th 0 0 1 0 0 32
    1990,  17/11 7th 6th 10 3 4th 2 0 32
    1988,  8/11 8th 7th 7th 2 6th 2 0 0 32
    1984,  8/11 7th 7th 8th 2 6th 2 32
    1980,  8/11 6th 8th 7th 3 6th 2 32
    1978,  7/11 6th 8th 8th 2 6th 2 32
    1974,  7/11 5 5 7th 2 6th 1 0 26th
    1970,  7/11 5 6th 7th 1 6th 1 26th
    1966,  8/11 6th 6th 7th 5 1 1 26th
    1962,  8/11 6th 6th 8th 2 6th 1 29
    1958,  8/11 5 7th 8th 2 7th 1 30th
    1954,  8/11 6th 7th 5 2 6th 1 27
    1950,  8/11 8th 7th 6th 2 2 25th
    1946,  8/11 8th 6th 4th 2 0 20th
    1945,  6/11 11 6th 6th 0 23
    1943,  24/8 12 8th 5 0 25th
    1940,  30/1 6th 8th 6th 4th 0 0 24
    1936,  28/1 8th 6th 8th 2 24
    1932,  19/1 11 2 8th 0 0 21st
    1928,  23/1 10 2 11 0 23
    1924,  22/1 13 10 0 23
    1920,  10/11 10 10 20th
    1918,  24/4 9 11 20th
    1916,  28/2 10 9 1 20th
    1914,  2/2 12 8th 20th
    1912,  2/2 13 7th 0 20th
    1910,  12/2 13 7th 0 20th
    1908,  2/2 13 7th 20th
    1906,  18/7 12 8th 20th

    history

    Viking age

    Tinganes

    The first written mention of the Løgting can be found in the Faroese saga , which was written down in Iceland around 1200 (previously passed down orally). Historians estimate that it was founded shortly after the Nordic colonization of the Faroe Islands in the 9th century, at the latest around 900. Originally, the Løgting had the historical character of an old thing (not to be confused with today's Icelandic Althing , which also meant a modern parliament a freely elected representative body), was therefore the plenary session of all large farmers. It is historically proven that the Faroese Þing adopted Christianity from the year 999 after the chief Sigmundur Brestisson , who was baptized in Norway , was able to prevail against the initial resistance. Since then, the Faroe Islands have been considered Christianized .

    From the beginning it had its seat on the peninsula named after it Tinganes in today's Tórshavn . Today only the state government sits there, while Løgting has moved a little further into the new town center. Thanks to the centrally located Thingstätte, Tórshavn was able to develop into a commercial and capital city despite its relatively unfavorable natural harbor.

    In fact, the Faroe Islands were a republic of settlers who gave themselves a democratic self-government in their Thing until the Norwegian Crown finally took possession .

    The chairman of the Althing was Løgsøgumaður . He himself did not have the right to vote, and it was his job to proclaim the passed laws. This is to be taken literally, because it is assumed that they were not written down at the time. The Logsøgumaður was thus a kind of "walking memory" of the thing, which had to remember all decisions and present them when necessary. From this position the Løgmaður emerged.

    See also: Viking Age in the Faroe Islands

    Norwegian rule

    In 1035 the Faroe Islands formally became part of Norway , but historians believe that the older rules of Løgting could be retained, as there was only irregular communication with the government in Trondheim at that time . These rules were probably modeled on the Gulating Act in Norway.

    In 1274 the Norwegian King Magnus Lógbøtari (Magnus the Law Reformer ) introduced the Landslóg (State Law) , which formed today's Løgting from the historic Althing . However, the name did not change until around 1400. While the Thing was previously an assembly of free men ("the best men in the Faroe Islands"), it has now been transformed into a representative body. It is assumed that the decisions of the Løgting have been fixed in writing since then at the latest.

    From 1280, the Faroe Islands were finally considered part of the Norwegian Empire and the Althing no longer a legislative assembly. The Løgmaður was from then on, ultimately, a representative of the king. In reality, however, the Faroe Islands remained relatively autonomous.

    On June 24, 1298, the Faroe Islands received their "Basic Law" with the sheep letter (Seyðabrævið). The Gulating Act already set the number of Løgrættumenn - members of parliament, but also prosecutors - to 36 in a section called Tingfararbólkurin (Rules of Procedure of the Thing) and stipulated that the Løgmaður ("lawyer") should lead the Thing. Six Løgrættumenn each represented one of the 6 Syssel (sýslur).

    The Løgmaður was elected by the Løgting and additionally appointed by the Norwegian king, who in turn was represented by a governor , the Fúti (Landvoigt), in the Løgting . The Fúti also had the authority of a public prosecutor , but was primarily responsible for ensuring the state revenue of the crown. In addition, the Løgting had a secretary as chairman, the Sorinskrivari .

    The Løgting was at the same time the highest court of justice in the Faroe Islands and thus a review body for judgments by the Várting. According to the Landslóg , the Løgrættumenn should swear that in all proceedings they acted responsibly according to their own conscience, the law and God. Often only 12 of the 36 Løgrættumenn were present, and in minor matters 6 were enough to have a quorum.

    Even the Faroese reported that the Faroese Ting precipitated death sentences. Convicted men were either hanged or beheaded, women mostly drowned. The last death sentence in the Faroe Islands was carried out in 1706. Usually, however, the Løgting imposed fines that went to the king as tribute.

    In 1380 the Danish Queen Margaret I united Denmark , Sweden, Norway - and thus also the Faroe Islands in personal union . But even within the Kalmar Union and after its dissolution within Denmark-Norway , the Faroe Islands continued to be regarded as part of the Norwegian part of the empire. However, the capital of the great empire was Copenhagen .

    In 1557 Løgting moved into a permanent house on Tinganes for the first time. Another Tinghaus was built later, where the Ting met until 1816. In 1569 the Danish-Norwegian crown officially recognized the Løgting as the legitimate representative of the Faroese people.

    The introduction of absolutism in Denmark and Norway by Frederik III. 1661 was the second major break in the history of Løgting after the legal reform of 1274. Until then it had exercised halfway legislative functions, now the entire power passed to the king.

    In 1688, King Christian V introduced the Norska lóg , the Norwegian law . For the Løgting, this meant an increase to 48 seats, but also the ban on re-election, i.e. a parliamentary term of office limited to one electoral term, which was also limited to one year. The 48 seats corresponded to 8 løgrættumenn per Syssel. Historians believe that as a result it became more and more incompetent and lost influence over the royal officials, while these (the Fúti as the king's representative and the Sorinskrivari as the Thing chairman) gained power.

    As early as 1655, King Christian V bequeathed the Faroe Islands to Christopher von Gabel as a fief until 1709 when they came under direct rule of the crown again. The so-called fork time is considered to be the darkest period in Faroese history. From 1720 to 1776 the Faroe Islands were administered as part of the Norwegian colony of Iceland , then again from Zealand. Since then the office of Amtmaður (bailiff) exists (until 1948).

    Danish rule

    The first known photo from Løgting was taken before 1897 (exact date unknown)
    The Løgtingssaal around 1900
    The Løgtings building in 1906

    After the Peace of Kiel on January 14, 1814 and the dissolution of the personal union between Denmark and Norway , Greenland , Iceland and the Faroe Islands came to Denmark. As a result, the Løgting and the Løgmaður were abolished without replacement in 1816 . The Sorínskrivari was retained and became the sole legal authority. The Faroe Islands were henceforth a separate Danish office (administrative district), so they no longer belonged to the Danish district of Zealand. The Amtmaður alone decided which Danish laws were applied to the Faroe Islands.

    As a result of the March Revolution in Denmark in 1848, the first Danish constitution was passed in 1849 and the Folketing was formed as a parliament in the now constitutional monarchy . Since then, there have always been two Faroe Islands representatives. After repeated requests from the Faroese people, the Løgting was reintroduced by law of March 26, 1852. However, it only had an advisory function for the Danish government and 18 members. The Amtmaður and the Próstur (the provost , the highest authority of the Faroese People's Church at the time ) also sat in Løgting, with the Amtmaður also being the President of Parliament. The first chairman until 1861 was Carl Emil Dahlerup . From 1866 to 1878 the well-known Faroese linguist and provost VU Hammershaimb sat in the historic assembly.

    In 1906 the number of seats was increased to 22. It was not until the Danish Lagting Act of April 11, 1923 that there was a significant change: There were 20 parliamentary seats and up to 10 assigned seats, the Próstur lost its seat and the Amtmaður was elected by the Løgting from now on.

    British occupation

    See main article: Faroe Islands in World War II

    During the Second World War , Denmark and Norway were occupied by Germany ( see: Enterprise Weser Exercise ). To forestall the Germans, Great Britain occupied the Faroe Islands three days later, on April 12, 1940. So cut off from the Danish government, the Faroese developed concrete demands for the independence of their islands from Denmark, or at least for more rights within the kingdom. The Faroese people are still divided on this issue. The Faroese party spectrum therefore extends not only from left to right , but across it from pro to contra sovereignty.

    The Faroese did not perceive the British as unwelcome intruders and "new masters". On the contrary: they not only preserved the Løgting , they also expanded its self-government. The occupation ended on September 16, 1945.

    Internal self-government 1948

    See main article: Faroe Islands Constitutional Crisis , Faroe Islands Autonomy

    After negotiations between the Løgting and the Danish government, a referendum was held on September 14, 1946, in which a narrow majority (48.7% to 47%) of the Faroese voted for full independence. This led to the constitutional crisis. On September 18, the social democratic dissenters Jákup í Jákupsstovu and the Fólkaflokkurin declared independence of the Faroe Islands, but on September 20 it was canceled by Denmark. There was a dispute over the question of whether this vote had an opinion-forming or a constitutive character. After the Løgting elections of November 1946, negotiations led to the Autonomy Act of March 31, 1948. The position of the Løgting was thus sustainably upgraded. For the first time since 1274, it again has legislative power in all areas that it took over from the Danish Folketing .

    literature

    • Uffe Østergaard: The Construction of a Faroese Identity: Nordic, Norwegian, Danish - or Faroese? Lecture on the section “Settler Identities. Land grabbing, colonization and the problems of the identity of settlers in ancient, medieval and modern times ”. 39th German Historians' Day in Hanover, September 1992 (including a detailed bibliography in the appendix).
    • Christian Gebel: The Faroe Islands - History and Language History. (= Series of publications of the German-Faroese Circle of Friends. Issue 1). Düsseldorf 1988, OCLC 256756820 .
    • Løgtingið 150. Hátíðarrit. 150 ár liðin, síðani Løgtingið varð endurstovnað . Løgtingið, Tórshavn 2002, ISBN 99918-966-3-5 . (3 volumes, in Faroese)

    Web links

    Commons : Løgting  - album with pictures, videos and audio files
    Wiktionary: løgting  - explanations of meanings, word origins , synonyms, translations

    Individual evidence

    1. ^ Final result Løgtingswahl Report of the Reichsombudsman

    Coordinates: 62 ° 0 ′ 39.2 "  N , 6 ° 46 ′ 19.5"  W.

    This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on August 15, 2005 .