Aksel V. Johannesen

Aksel V. Johannesen
Aksel V. Johannesen in 2015
Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 December 2022
Monarchs	Margrethe II Frederik X
Deputy	Høgni Hoydal
Preceded by	Bárður á Steig Nielsen
In office 15 September 2015 – 16 September 2019
Monarch	Margrethe II
Deputy	Høgni Hoydal
Preceded by	Kaj Leo Johannesen
Succeeded by	Bárður á Steig Nielsen
Leader of the Social Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 March 2011
Preceded by	Jóannes Eidesgaard
Deputy Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands
In office 6 April 2011 – 14 November 2011
Prime Minister	Kaj Leo Johannesen
Preceded by	Jacob Vestergaard
Succeeded by	Annika Olsen
Minister of Finance
In office 21 February 2011 – 14 November 2011
Prime Minister	Kaj Leo Johannesen
Preceded by	Jóannes Eidesgaard
Succeeded by	Jørgen Niclasen
Minister of Health
In office 16 July 2009 – 21 February 2011
Prime Minister	Kaj Leo Johannesen
Preceded by	Hans Pauli Strøm
Succeeded by	John Johannessen
Member of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 October 2011
Personal details
Born	Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen (1972-11-08) 8 November 1972 Klaksvík, Faroe Islands
Political party	Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin)
Spouse	Katrin Apol
Children	3
Parent(s)	Johild and Vilhelm Johannesen
Alma mater	University of Copenhagen
Association football career Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Position(s) Forward Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1989–1995 KÍ Klaksvík 38 (3) Total 38 (3) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen (born 8 November 1972) is a Faroese lawyer and politician for the Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin) and the current prime minister of the Faroe Islands. He previously served as prime minister from 2015 to 2019. He is a former footballer.

Political career

At the 2008 Faroese general election, Aksel Johannesen was the party's 1st suppleant to the Løgting (Faroese Parliament), and sometimes he took seat in the parliament, especially for Andrias Petersen. He became minister of health on 16 July 2009, when John Johannessen declined the minister position after Hans Pauli Strøm stepped down. He resigned as minister of health and was assigned as minister of finance on 21 February and was at the same time elected president of the Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin) on 5 March 2011. On 6 April the same year, he was appointed as deputy prime minister. On 14 November 2011, the cabinet was renewed and the Social Democratic Party was not a part of the new cabinet. Aksel Johannesen then became chairman of the Social Democratic Party on the Løgting.

At the Faroese general election on 1 September 2015, Johannesen's party won the election with 25.1% of the votes and he became prime minister. Johannesen himself got 2405 personal votes which was a new Faroese record. He broke the record of Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen from 2011 which was 1967 personal votes. Voted out of power in 2019, he returned to power in the 2022 Faroese general election.

Football career

Johannesen played football with his hometown club KÍ Klaksvík, mostly as a forward. Although not always an automatic choice for the starting XI, he made his contribution, as KÍ won the Faroese League in 1991 and the national cup in 1994 (Johannesen came in as a substitute in 2-1 final victory against B71 Sandur).

Johannesen is also a noted runner, and was the national 100 meter champion in 1994. He also played volleyball for Mjølnir, the club of Klaksvík.

Personal life

He is educated Master of Law from the University of Copenhagen in 2004, and worked as a lawyer in Tórshavn from 2007 until he became an active politician. He is former president of the football club of Klaksvík, Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag, where he used to play football in his youth. He is married to Katrin Apol, with whom he has three children.

Johannesen is the son of former politician Vilhelm Johannesen and uncle of Beinir Johannesen, chairman of the People's Party.