| Description | Center-right Faroese party begun as a parliamentary group called the "Unionists" on August 18, 1906, the members of which supported Danish Unionism (remaining within the Kingdom of Denmark; hence, the party's name). Party is the second-oldest in the Faroe Islands, launched the same year (1906) as Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (the Self-Government Party), its rival during the reign of the Islands' exclusively two-party system, which ended in the 1930s. Party was founded to support agrarian issues and farmer's rights, moving decades later to focus on business development and cultural/social issues. The Union Party fought against Home Rule (established in 1948) and was also against creating Faroese as an official language, working to ensure that Danish should continue to be used in schools. Party holds 7 seats in the 33-seat Løgting. Party has been chaired by Bárður á Steig Nielsen since October 24, 2015. Nielsen has been Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands since September 16, 2019 [Sambandsflokkurin (SF; election symbol "B"), Unionist Party]. |
