The center-right opposition has won legislative elections in Greenland. The vote was marked by a wave of nationalism that demands that the Arctic island, coveted by Donald Trump, achieve independence quickly. The vote rewarded the "social-liberal" Democratic Party Demokraatit with over 30% of the vote.
Naleraq's nationalists also fared well with 23%. Both the Democratic Party and Naleraq are in favor of independence from Denmark.
On the other hand, there was a sharp decline for the parties of the outgoing government. The left-wing environmentalists Inuit Ataqatigiit are at 21% (-15% compared to 2021) and the Siumu Social Democrats at 15% (-14%).
Massive turnout in legislative elections
The surprise result came after a very busy election day. 56,000 Greenlanders voted en masse in the legislative elections. The vote was marked by statements from the US president, who wants the Arctic island with sometimes threatening insistence. Voter turnout, according to election officials, was high at the only polling station in the capital, Nuuk. Originally scheduled for 8 p.m., the closing time of the polling stations was extended by half an hour to allow all voters in line to cast their ballots.
The road to independence
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally. Copenhagen has rejected Trump’s threats but has recognized the island’s right to independence if it chooses to exercise it. Greenland gained autonomy in 1979 and governs itself through its own parliament. A treaty with the United States and a U.S. military base give Washington a say in defending the territory. Greenlanders voted overwhelmingly in favor of self-rule in a 2009 referendum, which also created a path to independence if the island’s population supported it. Under the terms of that referendum, Denmark remains responsible for Greenland’s defense and foreign affairs, while the local government handles other matters. The independence issue is complex because the country pays the island about 580 million euros in subsidies each year.
A territory rich in mineral resources
A mineral-rich territory Greenland, the world’s largest island, is 80% above the Arctic Circle and frozen. Climate change is thinning the ice, opening a Northwest Passage for international trade and reigniting competition with Russia, China and others for access to the region’s mineral resources. Greenland is strategically located along two potential Arctic shipping routes that could reduce shipping times between the North Atlantic and Pacific, bypassing the obstacles of the Suez and Panama Canals. Its territory has large deposits of rare earths, minerals essential for the production of computers, smartphones, batteries, solar and wind technologies. The Geological Survey, the survey group that enables deep-sea analysis of the Earth, has also identified potential deposits of oil and natural gas offshore.
How and when to demand independence?
Four of the five main parties that contested the legislative elections have called for independence, but disagree on when and how. Naleraq is more aggressive in favor of independence, while Demokraatit favors a more moderate pace of change. “The approach to independence will ultimately depend on Demokraatit’s decision to form a coalition government, and if so, with which party,” said Dwayne Menezes, executive director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative. (A2 Televizion)
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