Independence has been a recurring topic in Greenlandic elections for decades.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland has placed the issue of independence at the center of the campaign for the legislative elections set to take place in this Danish autonomous territory on March 11.

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Independence has been a recurring topic in Greenlandic elections for decades, especially since 2009, when a new Self-Government Act was passed, recognizing the right to self-determination.

According to a recent survey, 85% of Greenlanders do not want to be part of the U.S., although the majority supports independence. Supporters of maintaining ties with Denmark have been losing influence, and several parties have changed their stance. In the current Parliament, all political forces support independence; they only differ in terms of timing and the reasoning behind it.

The socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), led by autonomous government President Mute B. Egede and the main political force, advocates for a new framework of “cooperation” with Denmark and the creation of a “solid” economic foundation upon which to build a future independent state. “The most important thing is to be meticulous, to get closer to our goal every day. I don’t want to set a date,” he said.

The social democratic Siumut—historically dominant in Greenlandic politics and the junior partner in the governing coalition—follows a similar line, though it has shown internal divisions. Its leader, Erik Jensen, has sent ambiguous messages about initiating negotiations with Copenhagen in the next legislative term. “A real negotiation can take a long time. We cannot say whether we will form a state tomorrow, next year, or in the near future,” he stated.

Siumut’s internal tensions have been reflected in the departure of Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, one of Greenland’s two representatives in the Danish Parliament, who joined Naleraq along with her partner, Kuno Fencker. Recently, Fencker was at the center of controversy after traveling to the U.S. and meeting with people in Trump’s inner circle.

Naleraq, the third-largest parliamentary force and the most radical pro-independence party, supports a free association treaty with the U.S. in exchange for economic support and security guarantees. However, it also refrains from setting a specific timeline and acknowledges that the process could take time.

The Democrats, the fourth-largest political force, emphasize the importance of assuming more competencies —Greenland has only taken over three in the last 15 years out of the more than 30 allowed by the Self-Government Act— and reducing economic dependence on Copenhagen.

“We can’t start building the house from the chimney,” said its leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, who recently declared that he would not “allow” Trump—whose son visited the island in early January—to buy Greenland or “threaten” its democracy.

“Greenland is ours. We don’t want to be Americans or Danes—we are Greenlanders. The Americans and their leader need to understand that. We are not for sale, and they cannot simply acquire us, because our future is decided by us here in Greenland,” Egede said in response to Trump’s latest remarks.

Jensen called Trump’s statements “disrespectful” and described them as “concerning,” while Naleraq called for unity and a clear definition of who is considered Greenlandic. The party reiterated its proposal to create a “registry” for Inuit people—an initiative that has been widely rejected by Parliament due to its controversial nature.

Economic Dependence and Disputes with Denmark

This island, home to about 57,000 people living across 2.2 million square kilometers (80% of which is permanently covered by ice), remains heavily dependent on Denmark, which provides more than 40% of its annual revenue. Additionally, fishing accounts for 90% of Greenland’s exports.

For decades, Greenland has faced social problems linked to its colonial past, including high rates of alcoholism, abuse, and suicide. Moreover, healthcare and education standards are lower than in the rest of Denmark, and these issues have been key topics in the election debate.

The island also faces another serious challenge: while Greenland’s population has remained nearly unchanged since 2008, the number of Greenlanders living in Denmark has risen by 23%. Experts estimate that in 25 years, the island’s population could shrink by 10,000 people.

Tensions with Denmark have further escalated after revelations that the Danish government had, for decades, implanted intrauterine devices (IUDs) in Greenlandic women to prevent a population boom. Additionally, numerous cases of Greenlandic children being taken from their families in Denmark have exacerbated the strained relationship.

The situation was further aggravated by a recent documentary aired by Denmark’s public broadcaster, DR, about profits Denmark allegedly made from an old mine in Greenland. The documentary was later retracted for supposedly containing inaccurate information. Additionally, a satirical program by the same channel was denounced for racism against Greenlanders.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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