(CLO) Greenland's opposition party Demokraatit, a political force that advocates independence from Denmark, won parliamentary elections on Tuesday.
After the vote count was completed, the Demokraatit party won 29.9% of the vote, a sharp increase from 9.1% in 2021, surpassing the Naleraq party - a force that supports rapid secession - with 24.5%.
"People want change... We want more businesses to finance our welfare. We don't want independence tomorrow, we need a solid foundation," said Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of Demokraatit and former industry minister. He will begin talks to form a governing coalition.
The ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit party and its partner Siumut, both of which have pursued a slow path to independence, won just 36% of the vote combined, down sharply from 66.1% in 2021. Prime Minister Mute Egede of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party conceded the result and said he would listen to all proposals in coalition talks.
Demokraatit party leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen (left) at an election party at the Killut cafe in Nuuk, March 12. Photo: Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen
The result comes as US President Donald Trump pledges to take control of the island.
Since taking office in January, Mr Trump has publicly expressed his intention to make Greenland – a semi-autonomous Danish territory – part of the US, citing national security interests.
But most Greenlanders oppose the idea. With a population of just 57,000, Greenland has become a flashpoint in geopolitical competition in the Arctic, where melting ice makes resources easier to exploit and opens up new shipping routes.
Greenland was a Danish colony before becoming a territory in 1953. In 1979, it gained limited autonomy, but Denmark still controls foreign affairs, defense, and monetary policy, and provides nearly $1 billion in financial support each year. In 2009, Greenland won the right to declare independence through a referendum, but has not done so due to concerns about the economic impact.
"We need to live according to our culture and language, independent of Denmark," said Qupanuk Olsen, a candidate for the Naleraq party. Meanwhile, Inge Olsvig Brandt of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party warned: "We are not ready. There are many issues to resolve before thinking about independence."
Mr Trump's special interest has made the election tense. In a televised debate on KNR on Monday night, the leaders of all five parties with seats in parliament declared they did not trust Mr Trump. "He is trying to influence us. That makes people nervous," said Erik Jensen, leader of the Siumut party.
While most Greenlanders support independence, they are divided over the timing. “Initially, anger at Denmark was at the heart of the debate,” says political adviser Julie Rademacher. “But now there is more concern about US ambitions.”
The island has significant reserves of resources, including rare earths for high-tech applications, which Greenland has not yet exploited extensively due to environmental concerns and China's dominance in the industry.
Mr Trump pledged to “invest billions of dollars” if Greenland joined the US. The Danish Prime Minister insisted that Greenland was not for sale, but the decision still belonged to the people.
All six political parties in Greenland support independence but differ on the path to take. Naleraq, the leading opposition party, has benefited from the attention from the United States and accusations of Danish exploitation of its resources. It wants to put the secession issue to a vote before the next election in four years.
Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, CNN)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dang-muon-doc-lap-gianh-chien-thang-trong-cuoc-bau-cu-greenland-post338171.html
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