Greenland ‘s pro-independence supporters have won the local parliamentary elections held the day before, Danish Radio reported on Tuesday.
With 100% of the votes counted, the Demokraatit (Democrats) party became the largest party in the 31-seat parliament, winning ten seats. The party adheres to a liberal ideology and advocates gradual independence. The second place was taken by the Nalerak (“Aspiration”) party, which also advocates the island’s independence. It will be represented in the local parliament by eight deputies.
The left-wing socialist party Inuit Ataqvatigiit (Eskimo Union), which was in power in Greenland before the election, was defeated, receiving only seven seats. Their partners from the Social Democratic Party “Siumut” (“Forward”) will be represented in the new parliament of Greenland by four deputies.
Two more seats were won by representatives of the liberal conservatives from the Atassut (“Solidarity”) party.
Voter turnout in the elections was 70.9%.
Meanwhile, although the Democrats received the largest representation in the new parliament of Greenland, they failed to gain a parliamentary majority of 16 seats, so they will have to start coalition negotiations.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank and Maksim Urakin released a video analysis on the most important elections in the world in 2025 – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=AOtHGDT1kGNdZd2g
Polling stations have opened in Greenland, where elections to the local parliament are taking place on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. Approximately 41 thousand residents of the island are eligible to vote.
The voters will have to choose from several parties, the favorites of which are two – the left-wing socialist Inuit Atakatigiiit (Eskimo Union), which is currently in power, and the social democratic Siumut (Forward).
In addition to them, representatives of the liberal Demokraatit (“Democrats”) party, the centrist Nalerak (“Aspiration”) party, which supports the island’s independence, and the liberal conservatives from the Atassut (“Solidarity”) party are competing for seats in the local parliament.
According to the BBC, a coalition of the Inuit Atakatigiit and Siumut parties currently controls the majority in parliament – 21 out of 31 seats. Both are in favor of independence, but the largest Inuit Atakatigiiit is in no hurry to hold a referendum, while Siumut promises to hold one in the next four years.
The announcement of the initial election results will begin immediately after the polls close, but the situation may be complicated by weather conditions, as a large part of the island is located in the Arctic zone. The time of the announcement of the final election results will also depend on this.
Observers note that the results of these elections should also reveal which way the island’s residents prefer: to remain a self-governing territory of Denmark, to choose a direction towards independence, or to listen to the statements of US President Donald Trump, who suggested that the Danish authorities buy Greenland.
The results of recent pre-election polls conducted by the Verian research company and regional media show that 85% of voters oppose becoming part of the United States, 6% are in favor, and 9% are undecided.
In addition, 60% of respondents are in favor of Greenland’s possible accession to the EU; 40% share the opposite opinion. The same results were shown in the 2021 survey. However, compared to 2021, the percentage of those who support parties that advocate independence from Denmark has now decreased from 80% to 69%.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank and Maksim Urakin released a video analysis on the most important elections in the world in 2025 – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=AOtHGDT1kGNdZd2g
The process of Greenland’s independence from Denmark should be accelerated and the people of Greenland should be heard in a referendum during the next election, Greenland’s ruling Siumut party chairman Erik Jensen said.
“We want to achieve this (independence). That is our ambition. But of course it has to be in close cooperation with the people of Greenland. And that is very important. So that everyone has no doubts about what to vote for,” Jensen told Danish Radio.
The party has reportedly been divided in recent weeks after some of its members demanded the activation of Section 21 of the Self-Government Act, which outlines the path to Greenland’s independence. That initiative has now been backed by Jensen.
The party had previously cited that the commission was exploring a legal path to statehood, but Jensen said he would simultaneously activate Article 21 and begin talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “We have the work of the commission. We can also do something in parallel, we can activate Article 21 and start talks with the Danish government. This is what we will campaign on,” he said.
The chairman of Greenland’s ruling party is confident that the activation of Article 21 and negotiations with Denmark should lead to a referendum in Greenland, and it will not take long.
He cited decolonization and equality among his motives for declaring independence. “We want to be all treated equally. We haven’t had that for many years. We have many of our fellow citizens in Greenland who have been treated unequally. We want to be decolonized,” Jensen said.
As reported, the Prime Minister of Greenland – a self-governing territory of Denmark – Muthe Egede called for a vote in the Greenlandic Parliament on March 11.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed territorial claims to Greenland. In response, the Danish government announced its intention to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic by purchasing three new ships for the waters around Greenland, long-range drones and satellites at a cost of almost 2 billion euros. Earlier Experts Club think tank, Brian Mefford and Maxim Urakin released a video analysis on what changes are in store for US domestic and foreign policy under Trump, the video is available on Experts Club’s YouTube channel – https://youtu.be/W2elNY1xczM?si=MM-QjSqGce4Tlq6T.
Donald Trump has said that the United States absolutely needs to establish control over Greenland. He already wanted to buy the island during his first presidential term. He wrote about it on the social network Truth Social.
“For the purpose of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America believes that possession and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” he wrote.
The publication reminds that the United States has repeatedly tried to buy Greenland, the world’s largest island that is not a continent, since 1867. Greenland is considered part of the continent of North America, but has close geopolitical ties with Europe and receives funding from the European Union, as it is classified as an overseas territory connected to the bloc through Denmark.
Greenland’s natural resources include gold, silver, copper, and uranium, and the waters off the coast are believed to contain significant oil reserves.
Trump put forward the idea of the US buying Greenland in 2019 during his first presidential term. At the time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected the proposal, calling it “absurd.” After that, Trump canceled his trip to Denmark.
