'We want to be Greenlanders': Slow independence party wins vote, but pro-US party gains
A political party in Greenland that favors an incremental approach to independence from Denmark came first in the Arctic territory's parliamentary election. But a pro-U.S. party recorded its best result ever in a vote that took place in the shadow of President Donald Trump's pledge to take control of the island.
The center-right Demokraatit party won 29.9% of the votes, up from 9.1% in 2021, ahead of the opposition Naleraq party, which seeks rapid independence and closer ties with the U.S., at 24.5%.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Demokraatit's leader and a former minister of industry and minerals, will now hold talks with Naleraq and other parties to try and form a governing coalition. The ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit party and its partner Siumut, which also seek a slow path toward independence, won a combined 36% of votes.
"We don't want independence tomorrow, we want a good foundation," Nielsen told reporters in Greenland's capital Nuuk early Wednesday after all the votes were counted.
Here's what the outcome means for Trump's vow to "get" Greenland; to make it part of the U.S. He has said acquiring the world's largest island is vital to U.S. security interests, an idea rejected by most Greenlanders.
Greenland voted. What does it mean for independence?
Denmark ruled Greenland for more than 200 years as a colony before gradually giving it greater autonomy, including its own local government. Under an agreement with Denmark, Greenland can legally declare independence but only after a majority of Greenland voters in a referendum support independence.
No such vote has been announced.
There is widespread support for full sovereignty in Greenland. However, many Greenlanders are unsure what it would mean for the island’s defense and economy. Five of the six parties on the ballot in Tuesday's vote were in favor of Greenland's independence. They differed only on how quickly that should come about.
"We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves," Nielsen said ahead of Tuesday's election. While the ardently pro-independence Naleraq party more than doubled its vote share, analysts say it's unlikely its calls for an immediate snap vote on sovereignty will be heeded.
"The election results send a clear signal that Greenlanders want change and development. They seek a government that focuses on strengthening the country from within and pursuing this at a steady pace," said Anne Merrild, a professor at Denmark's Aalborg University whose research includes a focus on the Arctic.
"Once the new coalition is formed, Greenlandic parties will likely begin internal negotiations on how to advance the process of increasing independence from Denmark while ensuring economic and social stability."
Still, Pelé Broberg, Naleraq's leader, has welcomed Trump's interest in Greenland, saying it represents a business opportunity that could benefit Greenlanders. His party's second-place finish means there could be a push for greater engagement with Washington. Kuno Fencker, another Naleraq lawmaker, attended Trump's inauguration.
Why does Trump want Greenland?
Trump first expressed interest in buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term. Officials in Denmark and Greenland swiftly rejected that, as they have repeatedly done this time with his renewed interest.
The United States already has a military base in northern Greenland. However, the Trump administration believes that securing Greenland further is key to bolstering U.S. missile defense for early warnings and space surveillance. The White House also wants to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic.
Economics also appear to play a part in Trump's interest in Greenland. In the south, it's believed that there are valuable deposits of oil and gas, as well as untapped rare earth minerals such as uranium and zinc, which are used for consumer electronics products, clean energy and defense technologies.
What happens in Greenland now?
Since Trump's fixation on Greenland has reemerged, opinion polls have indicated the vast majority of Greenlanders don't want their island to become part of the United States, something the vote appears to confirm.
Still, in his joint address to Congress on March 4, Trump said that the United States would get control of Greenland "one way or the other." And Trump has not ruled out taking Greenland by force. Yet he also said that the "U.S. strongly supports the people of Greenland’s right to determine their own future."
Trump revived the subject on Sunday, commenting on his Truth Social media platform that if Greenland opts to become part of the United States, "We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II. We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH – And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the Greatest Nation anywhere in the world, the United States of America!”
Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies in Copenhagen, said that a referendum on independence is likely to place take place anywhere from two to 10 years "down the line."
He said that Greenland's security arrangements with the United States, in place since 1951, won't change "unless Trump does something nuts" in the form of a "wildcard" reaction or aggression.