#Greenland's pro-business opposition #Demokraatit party won Tuesday's closely watched parliamentary #election, beating the incumbent left-wing coalition in a vote dominated by #US President #Trump's threat to take control over the island.
#geopolitics #democracy #authoritarianism #kleptocracy #MafiaState #tyranny #USexpansionism
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greenland-election-tests-independence-ambitions-us-interest-looms-2025-03-11/
#Demokraatit, which favours a slow approach to #independence from #Denmark, secured 29.9% of the votes w/all ballots counted, up from 9.1% in 2021, ahead of the opposition Naleraq party, which favors rapid independence, at 24.5%.
Since taking office, #Trump has vowed to make #Greenland - a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark - part of the #UnitedStates, saying it is vital to #US #security interests, an idea rejected by most Greenlanders.
The vast island, with a population of just 57k, has been caught up in a geopolitical race for dominance in the #Arctic, where melting #IceCaps are making its #resources more accessible & opening new #shipping routes. Both #Russia & #China have intensified #military activity in the region.
"People want change...We want more business to finance our welfare," said Jens-Frederik Nielsen, #Demokraatit's leader & a former minister of industry & #minerals.
…#Trump's vocal interest has shaken up the status quo, & coupled w/the growing pride of the #Indigenous people in their #Inuit culture, put #independence front & center in the election.
In the final debate on #Greenland's state broadcaster KNR late on Mon, leaders of the 5 parties currently in parliament unanimously said they did not trust Trump.
"He is trying to influence us. I can understand if citizens feel insecure," said Erik Jensen, leader of govt coalition partner Siumut.
“…I think the fear of the #US #imperialist approach has lately become bigger than the anger towards Denmark," said Julie Rademacher, a consultant & fmr adviser to #Greenland's govt.
Reuters spoke to…Greenlanders in Nuuk, all of whom said they favored #independence, although many expressed concern that a swift transition could damage the economy & eliminate Nordic #welfare services like #UniversalHealthcare & free #schooling.
"We don't want to be part of the #US for obvious reasons; #healthcare & #Trump," said Tuuta Lynge-Larsen, a bank employee & Nuuk resident, adding that this election was especially important. "We don't like the attention, to put it short."
The island holds substantial natural resources, including critical #minerals such as rare earths used in high-tech industries, ranging from EVs to missile systems.
#Greenland #geopolitics #democracy #kleptocracy #USexpansionism
#Trump initially declined to rule out #military force, alarming many Greenlanders, though he later *softened* his stance, stating he would respect the will of the local people & was "ready to invest billions of dollars" if they joined the US.
#Greenland's PM, Mute Egede, has stressed the island is not for sale & advocated for a broad coalition govt to resist. In an interview aired on Mon, he dismissed Trump's offer as disrespectful, expressing willingness to cooperate w/other countries instead.
The trick is that those minerals are hundreds of feet under the ice, and the world will not have the technology to extract them for the next 50-100 years.
Nonilex
Stu Duerson, machina exo deus