Greenland calls early elections amid rising independence debate

Greenland’s Prime Minister, Múte B. Egede has called for a general election on 11 March to reshape the country’s parliament at a time when relations with Denmark, Europe, and Washington are at a critical juncture.

Egede wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, “It’s time for elections for the Inatsisartut [Greenlandic parliament]. If Inatsisartut approves my proposal, this will take place on 11 March. We are in the middle of a serious period,” he wrote.

Noting that Greenland is going through a time like never before, Egede added that the situation is forcing them to “work together and unite for the country instead of internal division” and said that he is running again.

The current government consists of the Green People’s Community party and the Social Democrat Siumut. Together, the two parties hold 21 of the 31 seats in Greenland’s parliament, known as Inatsisartut .

Both parties are in favor of independence, but the Community party, in particular, advocates a cautious approach and believes that full independence should only be pursued when the country is less dependent on financial support.

The Danish block grant to Greenland currently amounts to around 500 million euros a year.

Some in the ruling Social Democratic Siumut party, however, seem more open to Trump’s initiatives.

Siumut MP Kuno Fencker made headlines when he traveled to Washington to meet with US Republican Congressman Andy Ogles, the architect of the Make Greenland Great Again Act, which authorized President Trump to negotiate the purchase of Greenland from Denmark.

Although Fencker insisted he was speaking in a private capacity and not as an MP, his visit drew criticism from his party colleagues.

The opposition party Naleraq , which holds four seats, wants the process to be accelerated and the separation from Denmark to start as soon as possible. The last two parties, the conservative Atassut and the liberal Demokraatit , are in favor of maintaining the existing relations with Denmark. They hold two and three seats in the current parliament, respectively.

Recent polls show that the vast majority of Greenlanders favor independence, but few are willing to sacrifice their living standards to achieve it.

As a semi-autonomous country under Denmark, Greenland is responsible for a number of domestic issues, including education and health, while security and foreign affairs remain the responsibility of Copenhagen.

On Monday, EU national leaders signaled their support for Denmark and Greenland’s right to self-determination.

“The protection of the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and inviolability of the borders of the Kingdom of Denmark is essential for all member states,” said European Council President António Costa.