On February 23, 2026, the Faroese Parliament in Tórshavn approved a government proposal for a 24-kilometer long underwater tunnel to South Island by a vote of 23 in favor and 7 against, with one abstention. This marks the beginning of the process to outsource the construction of the longest underwater tunnel in Faroese history. However, the contract for the project is still contingent upon further parliamentary ratification. This approval comes amid a significant political maneuvering involving the retirement age reform bill.

In the same session, the Parliament narrowly passed the government's proposal to incrementally raise the retirement age to 69 years, with a tight vote of 16 to 15. The passage of this bill faced substantial opposition, particularly from the labor movement, which has been vocal against such changes. Although leaders of the ruling parties were reluctant to acknowledge it publicly, it was evident that the approval of the South Island tunnels was dependent on the acceptance of the retirement age reform.

The dual approval of these proposals reflects the ongoing debates in the Faroe Islands regarding infrastructure development and social welfare policies. While the new tunnels promise to enhance connectivity and accessibility to South Island, the increment of the retirement age raises questions about the future livelihood of the elderly population and could lead to increased unrest among workers and unions. The outcome of these legislative changes will likely reverberate through Faroese society as they confront the balance between economic growth and social equity.