सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kathmandu. The ultra-nationalist Democratic Party has won the most votes in Greenland’s parliamentary elections. The result is a surprise for Greenland, which went to the polls under the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s stated goal of somehow regaining control of the island.
The Democrats and the second-place party, Nalerak (Point of Orientation), both favor independence from Denmark but differ in the pace of change. The Democrats’ surprise victory over the parties that have ruled the territory for years suggests that many in Greenland are equally concerned about healthcare, education, cultural heritage and other social policies. “I think this is a historic result in Greenland’s political history,” Democratic Party leader Jens-Friedrik Nielsen said at an election party after the results.
According to Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiak, Nielsen appeared surprised by his party’s gains, with photos showing him smiling broadly and clapping at the election party. Nielsen said his party would contact all other parties to discuss Greenland’s future political path, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The unexpected results came as large crowds turned out at polling stations in the capital, Nuuk, in the warm sun all day. Exhausted election officials closed polling stations after the planned 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday to ensure everyone had a chance to vote.
Prime Minister Mute Borup Egede had called the election early in February, saying the country needed to unite during “the most critical time” Greenland has ever experienced. In a Facebook post after the results were announced on Wednesday, Egede thanked voters for voting and said the parties were ready to negotiate to form a government. Trump told a joint session of Congress last week that he thought he was going to get Greenland “one way or another.”
Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, straddles strategic air and sea lanes in the North Atlantic and is rich in rare earth minerals needed to make everything from mobile phones to renewable energy technology. The Inuit Atakatigiit (United Inuit) of Agade was widely expected to win. Siammut was then expected to win. The two parties have dominated Greenlandic politics in recent years.
Separation from Denmark was not on the ballot but was on everyone’s mind. The island of 56,000 people has been on the path to independence since at least 2009, and the 31 elected members of parliament will shape the island’s future as they debate whether the time has come to declare independence. Four of the five main parties in the election sought independence but disagreed on when and how.
Nalerak is the most aggressively pro-independence, while Demokrat favors a more moderate pace of change. “Which approach to freedom wins the day will ultimately depend on whether Democrats decide to form a coalition government and, if so, with which party,” said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative.
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