Lisbeth L. Petersen, pioneering Faroese politician, passes away at 85

Lisbeth L. Petersen made history in 1984 by becoming the first woman ever elected to the Tórshavn City Council, representing the Union Party. Although she was offered the position of mayor at that time, she declined until 1992, during a challenging economic period, becoming the first female mayor in Tórshavn. Her election marked a record for the Union Party.

In 1990, Lisbeth was elected to the Parliament of the Faroe Islands, where she served for 18 years until 2008. She also led the Union Party for three years and was elected to the Danish Folketing during this time.

Born to Rakel and Georg Samuelsen, a former editor of the newspaper Dimmalætting, Lisbeth’s family background was steeped in politics; her grandfather, Andrass Samuelsen, was the first Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands. This political engagement influenced her upbringing.

Lisbeth completed her real exam in Tórshavn in 1955 and graduated from Bagsværd Kostskole in Denmark in 1958. She worked in various administrative roles, including as a temp in a law office in Tórshavn from 1960 to 1970 and as a project secretary at the National Museum of the Faroe Islands from 1980 to 1992. She was also the party secretary for the Union Party from 1982 to 1987 and, alongside her family, was a major shareholder in Dimmalætting until 2010.

Lisbeth was a pioneer for women in Faroese politics, advocating for gender equality. As the first female mayor in Tórshavn and the first woman elected to the Folketing to represent the Faroe Islands in 2001, she broke numerous barriers. Her contributions to women’s political rights included founding initiatives to enhance women’s roles in political organizations.

Lisbeth passed away at the age of 85 while residing in a nursing home. She is survived by her children, Elsa and Georg, and was a widow after her husband, Jákup Petersen, died in 2001. In a 2014 interview, she encouraged women considering politics, saying, “Don’t lose courage, don’t be afraid to ask someone who knows more, and be honest.”