Marita Petersen

Marita Petersen (Faroese pronunciation: [ˌmɛaɹɪta ˈpʰeːʰtɛɹsɛn]) (née Johansen (Faroese pronunciation: [ˌjoˈhanːsɛn]); 21 October 1940 in Vágur – 26 August 2001) was the first and to date only female Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands and the first female speaker of the Løgting (Parliament).[1] She was elected to the Løgting in 1988 for Javnaðarflokkurin (The Socialist Party).[2] In January 1993, she was elected to the post of Prime Minister which she held until September 1994. Later, she became chairman of the parliament from 1994 to 1995. She was Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands in a very difficult time with economic crisis.[3] Marita Petersen died of cancer in 2001.

Marita Petersen
Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands
In office 18 January 1993 – 15 September 1994
Preceded by	Atli Pætursson Dam
Succeeded by	Edmund Joensen
Personal details
Born	21 October 1940 Vágur, Suðuroy, Faroe Islands
Died	26 August 2001(2001-08-26) (aged 60) Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Political party	Føroya Javnaðarflokkurin
Spouse(s)	Kári Petersen
Profession	Teacher

Career

Education and work

She was a school teacher, educated from the Hellerup seminarium in Denmark in 1964. She worked as a teacher in Copenhagen and Esbjerg from 1964–67, in Tórshavnar kommunuskúli (one of the public schools in Tórshavn) from 1967 to 1989. From 1989 to 1994 she was leader of the teaching department of Landsskúlafyrisitingin 1989–94, leader of the Sernámsfrøðiliga ráðgevingin 1994-98 and from 1998 until her death she was manager for the Sernámsdepilin, which is a school for children with mentally disabilities.

Political career

• 1994-1995 Speaker of the Løgting
• 1993-1994 Prime Minister (løgmaður) (the first and until now the only female Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands)
• 1994-1996 Leader of Javnaðarflokkurin (the Socialist Party)
• 1991-1993 Minister of Cultural Affairs
• 1988-1998 Member of the Faroese Løgting, except for the periods when she was prime minister or minister

References

1. "Demokratia.fo". Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
2. Løgtingið 150, HÁTÍÐARRIT, 150 ár liðin, síðani Løgtingið varð endurstovnað(in Faroese, written for the 150 anniversary of the Løgting, published in 2002), page 337
3. Ibnlive.in.com Haven on Earth: 6 places secure from financial crisis- 1. Faroe Islands, Denmark

Political offices
Preceded by Atli Dam	Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands 1993-1994	Succeeded by Edmund Joensen