Greenland The center-right opposition party in the nation, who informed U.S. President Donald Trump that their country "is not up for grabs," has triumphed in the recent parliamentary elections.
According to official results, the Demokraatit party obtained 29.9 percent of the votes, thereby breaking the ruling coalition’s majority.
Jens Frederik Nielsen, who leads Demokraatit And as a previous badminton champion, he is set to play a significant part in defining Greenland’s future. Mr. Nielsen has notably criticized foreign intervention, especially when reacting to actions by Mr. Trump His proposal that the U.S. might buy the land Arctic island.
The business-friendly party, advocating for a step-by-step path towards autonomy from Denmark, witnessed a significant surge in backing, jumping to 9.1 percent from the prior vote. This performance surpassed that of the opposing Naleraq party, which pushes for an expedited separation from Denmark.
Mr Trump dominated the election campaign as discussions revolved around the island’s autonomy.
President Trump has frequently expressed interest in having Greenland become part of the United States, initially mentioning his wish to acquire the territory during his first term and commenting on this again earlier this year. He wished to purchase it. Before the election, he restated his stance, and additionally declined to dismiss the use of force to get his way.
One way or another, we will achieve it," he informed the US Congress earlier this month. According to Mr. Trump, the people of Greenland might "become part of the greatest country in the world." On his Truth Social platform, the U.S. President mentioned that he was prepared to invest billions "to enrich all of us.
He emphasized that the nation plays a crucial role in U.S. security concerns, though this notion has been dismissed by the majority of people in Greenland.
This large island, home to only 57,000 people, finds itself at the center of a geopolitical contest for control over the Arctic, as receding polar ice exposes valuable natural resources and creates new sea lanes. In this scenario, both Russia and China have stepped up their military presence in the area.
Following the introduction of a new law prohibiting overseas funding for political organizations, Mr. Nielsen stated that Mr. Trump’s remarks pose "a risk to our autonomous governance."
“He said we need to defend ourselves.” “I hope this clearly communicates to him that we cannot be bought,” Mr Nielsen stated to Sky News, referencing Donald Trump’s remarks.
We have no desire to become Americans. No, we do not wish to be Danish either. Our aspiration is to remain Greenlandic. In the time ahead, we seek our own self-governance. We aim to construct our nation independently, without relying on someone else's hopes.
In January, Mr. Nielsen entered into a political collaboration pact with Denmark’s Liberal Alliance, as reported by the Danish daily newspaper. Berlingske It was reported that Mr. Nielsen stated, “We are experiencing an exhilarating and significant period in the relationship between Greenland and Denmark,” according to the report.
He will now engage in discussions with other political groups to attempt forming a ruling alliance.
The governing Inuit Ataqatigiit party along with its coalition partner Siumut, both advocating for a gradual approach toward autonomy, secured 36% of the total votes collectively, a decline from their previous share of 66.1% in 2021.
"Nous apprécions le résultat des élections," a déclaré le Premier ministre Mute Egede du parti Inuit Ataqatigiit dans un message sur Facebook, ajoutant qu'il écouterait attentivement toutes les propositions lors des discussions de coalition à venir.
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"The election result has been respected," Prime Minister Mute Egede of the Inuit Ataqatigiit stated in a Facebook post, mentioning further that he will pay attention to all suggestions during forthcoming coalition negotiations.
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Greenland was once a Danish colony and became a territory in 1953. In 1979, it achieved partial self-governance with the establishment of its initial parliament; however, Copenhagen retains control over matters such as international relations, defense, and currency. Additionally, Denmark contributes approximately $1 billion annually to Greenland’s economy.
In 2009, it gained the authority to achieve complete autonomy via a referendum, although this step hasn't been taken due to worries about declining living standards without Denmark’s financial backing.
“I am firmly convinced that we will soon begin to lead lives more grounded in our individual identities, deeply rooted in our cultures and languages, and commence making regulations centered around ourselves rather than being influenced by Denmark,” stated Qupanuk Olsen, a candidate for the primary separatist party Naleraq.
Inge Olsvig Brandt, who represents the governing Inuit Ataqatigiit party, stated: “Independence isn’t necessary at this moment. There’s an abundance of issues demanding our attention. It feels like we must focus internally, delving into our past, as considerable restoration lies ahead of us before we’re ready to proceed.”
Voting time was increased by thirty minutes at certain locations among the 72 polling centers throughout the Arctic island. Around 40,500 individuals were qualified to vote; however, the exact participation number wasn’t promptly disclosed.
Additional reporting by agencies
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