The Greenland, courted by US President Donald Trump, faces a change of government. In the parliamentary election on the largest island on earth, two previous opposition parties became the new strongest forces in the IntheineArtut, the parliament in the Greenland capital Nuuk. The two parties, democracy and Naleraq, strive for a possible independence from the Kingdom of Denmark, but have different ideas of the pace on the way there. On the other hand, a takeover by the United States, as Trump has in mind, is considered unrealistic.
The social liberal democracy (Democrats) came to a surprisingly strong 29.9 percent, which made her result of the last election in 2021 more than tripled. The Naleraq, which was drawn to a quick detachment from Denmark, doubled its voice to 24.5 percent.
Government voted out
The two generally the strongest political forces on Greenland and previous government parties are the great losers of elections. The left -wing party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) of Prime Minister Múte B. Eggede lost around 15 percentage points and only came to 21.4 percent, its social democratic coalition partner Sumut slipped to 14.7 percent after similarly large losses. The focus of Greenland politics has shifted, says Greenland researcher Ulrik Pram Gad from the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) in Copenhagen.
Since the formation of the first own Greenland government in 1979, Siumut and IA have always provided the head of government. Now the only 33-year-old Democratic boss Jens-Frederik Nielsen will find a new government. He announced at night to stretch his hand towards all other parties – also to the Naleraq, which is viewed in large parts of the political spectrum.
“This is the second largest party, so we can’t avoid them,” said Nielsen on election night, according to the Danish radio station. At the same time, he spoke out for a “quiet course” towards the United States and for the fact that “a foundation” had to be created first before one could talk about a state foundation.
For a majority in 31 seats, Nielsen has several options. IA chief Eggede already agreed to negotiate. Naleraq chairman Pele Broberg did not rule out a collaboration.
The lecturer Rasmus Leander Nielsen from the Greenland University of Ilisimatus Nuuk suspects that democracy forms a government with the IA and may also get the smaller conservative Atassut on offer that made it into parliament as a fifth party. On the other hand, he does not believe in a possible alliance between democracy and Naleraq.
Trump debate shapes choice
Greenland has just under 57,000 inhabitants, but is covered six times as large as Germany and four fifths with ice cream. The island is of great importance for the world climate, the military control of the Arctic and is also rich in raw materials such as rare earths. In addition, important shipping routes run in the region.
All of this also aroused Trump’s desire. In the past few months he had repeatedly said that he wanted to take control of the island. He justified this requirement either with national or international security. The statements have pointed out the attention of the world public on the Greenland, which was actually secluded, and some of the people on site are severely unsettled. Ultimately, however, you have also fired the independence debate that the island citizens have been running for decades.
However, it is not as simple as Trump imagines a takeover of Greenland. Unlike in the case of Alaska in 1867, the USA territory cannot simply buy from other countries these days. According to a survey, a clear majority of the Greenlanders are also against becoming part of the United States.
Against this background, it is unthinkable that the new Greenland government will follow the Trump wish in any way. Already Eggede had repeatedly made it clear that Greenland was not for sale, but was definitely interested in stronger economic cooperation with the United States, for example in reducing raw materials.
Expert Gad also assesses after the election outcome: “Trump’s hug has been rejected.” Now it is a matter of directing his interest towards economic cooperation. The EU could also play an important role in this. His colleague Nielsen sees it similarly: “If Trump had not made these comments over time again, the focus would have been much more on working with the USA,” he says. “Maybe that was a little too much interest in the Trump government.”
The big question of independence
In the formation of government, it will now be particularly interesting to observe how the parties involved behave in the question of independence and the future of tense relationship with Denmark. The majority of the parties agree that one day Greenland should become independent of his former colonial power Denmark.
However, they are disagreed with the right time: While Naleraq stands for a quick split, democracy and others want to be much slower. In their election program, the Democrats make it clear that political independence is “the ultimate goal” – but also that the right conditions should first be created.
The main sticking point is Greenland’s still strong financial dependence on Copenhagen. “You need cooperation partners,” emphasizes researcher Nielsen. Democratite also goes into this in his election program, in which the party indicates, among other things, the possibilities of free association agreements with the USA and Denmark. With a view to Trump, the program also says: “Let’s say that very clearly: Greenland is not for sale. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.”
