Greenland’s electoral winners reject Trump’s desire to take control

By Danica Kirka, Associated Press

Nuuk, Greenland (AP) – A party that favors a gradual path towards the independence of Greenland of Denmark won a surprise victory in the parliamentary elections, held in the shadow of the declared objective of US President Donald Trump to take control of the island in one way or another.

The Center-Right demokraatit party has withdraw Rare earth minerals I needed to do everything from mobile phones to renewable energy technology. The Arctic island also houses an air base of the USA. Uu. And extends to horcajadas on strategic air and sea routes in the North Atlantic.

The result should send a clear message to Trump that Greenland is not for sale, the leader of the demokraatit Jens-Friederik Nielsen He told Sky News.

“We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danish. We want to be Greenlandés. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country for ourselves, not with their hope. “

Trump has been Franco about his desire to control Greenland, saying A joint session of Congress last week that I thought that the United States was going to get it “in one way or another.”

Advancing towards the independence of Denmark

A break from Denmark was not on the electoral ballot, but I was in everyone’s mind. Greenland was colonized 300 years ago by Denmark, which still exercises control over foreign and defense policy.

The island of 56,000 people has been in a Way to Independence Since at least 2009, and the 31 elected legislators will shape the future of the island while debating if the time has come to declare independence.

Four of the five main games in the race sought independence, but they did not agree on when and how.

The finalist of the second place Naleraq is the most aggressive in favor of independence, while Demokraatit favors a more moderate rhythm of change.

“What approach to Independence will win the day will ultimately depend on whether Demokraatit decides to form a coalition government, and if so, with which party,” said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Initiative for Research and Polar Policy.

A surprising victory

Demokraatit won almost 30% of the votes, compared to only 9% in the elections four years ago, the transmission corporation of Greenland Knr TV reported, while Naleraq arrived in second place with almost 25%, compared to almost 12% in 2021.

Demokraatit’s annoying victory over the parties that have governed the territory for years indicated that many in Greenland concern both social policies and medical care and education about geopolitics.

Nielsen, 33, seemed to be surprised by the profits of his game, with photos that show him wearing a big smile and applauding at the electoral party.

He said that Groenland needs to be together “in a moment of great interest from abroad,” Knr TV said.

Danish station Dr. reported that Nielsen said her party would communicate with all other parties to negotiate the future political course for Greenland.

Denmark reaction

Danish defense minister Troels Lund Poulen congratulated the Demokraatit party and said that the future Greenlandic government would probably have to “deal with the massive pressure of the president of the United States, Donald Trump,” according to Dr.

He added that “it is not the case that you can only participate in the Danish kingdom: the future of Greenland is based on what the people and government of Greenland want,” said the dr ..

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, meanwhile, described the election “a cheerful day and a celebration of democracy” in a statement on Wednesday. He congratulated Demokraatit and said the Danish government would wait for the results of the coalition negotiations.

An early vote

Prime minister Mute Bourup Egede He had called for early vote in February, saying that the country should join for a “serious time” unlike everything Groenland has experienced.

On Wednesday, after the results were known, Egede thanked voters in a Facebook publication to arrive and said the parties were ready to resort to negotiations to form a government.

His party, Inuit Ataqatigiit, or United Inuit, received 21% of the votes. This is a significant decrease in the latest elections, when the game was stronger with 36% of the votes, according to KNR TV.

It was widely expected that Inuit Ataqatigiit won, followed by SIUMUT, two parties that had dominated Greenland’s policy in recent years.

Siumut arrived in fourth place with 14% of the votes.

Originally published: March 12, 2025 at 6:08 am pdt