Greenland captured between the US, Denmark and Independence in elections

Greenlanders are going to the polls on Tuesday in a major parliamentary election formed by many years of debate over independence from supervisor Denmark – and from US President Donald Trump’s ambitions to capture the island of “one way or another”.

Most of the six main political parties of the Arctic island support independence, and the latest voter survey in January suggested that the pro-Payrise Party Inuit Ataqatigi could maintain power in parliament with 31 seats, probably, probably Followed in second place by his first -time coalition partner, Siumut.

Both sides say they want to hold a referendum on political and economic independence from Denmark, although none have set a clear timeline.

Denmark supervises Greenland’s defense and foreign policy, but leaves internal affairs to the Greenland government. However, Copenhagen provides an annual block of about $ 511 million on the island which accounts for approximately 20%of Greenland GDP, and more than half of the public budget, according to international trade administration data.

Copenhaga has repeatedly insisted that Greenland is not “for sale” and that it will remain part of its kingdom, however it is careful at the moment after independence and has been calm before the election, careful to look to dictate how islanders have to vote.

There is no doubt that Trump’s models on the island and his abundance of rare land minerals have caused alarm in Denmark, however. Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericks described the idea as “absurd” when Trump first threw it in 2019.

The feeling was reiterated by Greenland after Trump’s comments in December, when the US leader said Greenland’s “ownership” was essential for America’s economic and national security. The Prime Minister of Greenland Muthe Egede replied that “we are not on sale and we will not be on sale” and that “Greenland belongs to the Greenland people”.

He doubled in that position last week, saying “Kalaallit Nunaat [Greenland in the Greenlandic language] It’s ours. “

“We do not want to be Americans, nor Danes; we are the Kalaall. Americans and their leader must understand this. We are not on sale and cannot be taken simply. Our future will be placed by us in Greenland,” he said on Facebook.

Apparently impatiently by Greenland’s refusal and Denmark for his progress, Trump has repeatedly returned to the topic of claiming ownership in the US. He has also refused to exclude military action to capture the wide, icy territory that is geographically closer to the US than Denmark.

Last week, Trump said in his joint speech to Congress that the US would take control of Greenland “in one way or the other.” He resurrected the topic on Sunday ahead of the election, commenting that “SH.BA strongly supports the people of Greenland’s right to determine their future.”

“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 choose, we welcome you to be a part of the largest nation anywhere in the world, the United States,” Trump posted on the social media platform.

Greenland’s economy is mainly focused on fishing, but the deposits of the island of rare land and critical minerals used in electronics, energy and protection have prompted international interest. Global warning and ice loss is making some of the largest reserves of unused critical minerals in the world more accessible.

While Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has historical links with the US, sheltering US military installations since World War II. The increase in geopolitical competition in the Arctic between Russia, China and the US has also strengthened the island’s attraction, which stands on the path of potentially very lucrative transport through the Arctic Ocean.

While independence from Denmark has been a cry for the political parties that oppose elections, they – and most Greenlanders – do not want to become part of the US.

A survey of opinions conducted in January by Pollster North for the Berlingske newspaper found that 85% of the Greenlanders responded did not want their country to leave Denmark and join the US, with only 6% saying they supported such action.

However, the same survey found that the majority of 56% of Greenlanders would vote for independence if a referendum was held today, with 28% against, and 17% unsafe.

Rasmus Jarlov, a conservative lawmaker in Denmark and chairman of Denmark of DefensesnapperThe Committee E commented on Monday that the Nordic nation was not very concerned that Greenlanders would embrace SH.BA, despite the outcome of Tuesday’s vote.

“No single candidate in the Greenland election wants to join the US. So it will never be the result of the elections. He can not swing in that direction,” Jarlov commented on the social media platform X.

“A full survey a month ago showed that only 6% AF Greenlanders want to join the US while 85% reject the idea. The claim that Greenland wants to join the SH.BA is fully made up. They absolutely do not.”

Jarlov insisted that Greenland has “full rights in Denmark” and representation in parliament, while he claimed that “in SH.BA, Greenland would be a foreign territory without voting rights or any impact.

Analysts say Trump is going for his Groenland friendship wrongly, and rather they must seek to deepen economic and geopolitical ties with the island rather than pursue high -cost “possession” exercise.

“One thing is quite clear: Greenland’s people have little interest in earning by anyone,” said Otto Svenni, a collaborator with the program of Europe, Russia and Euroasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CIS) in recent analyzes.

“Nor does the Danish government in Copenhagen have any appetite to negotiate about a sale of Greenland, as it is likely to violate international law and the right to Greenland’s self -determination,” he added.

Svendson argued that instead of pursuing “a potential vain attempt to win Greenland against its will”, the US would be better served by staying on the course and finding costly effective ways to strengthen ties with the territory.

This, he said, involved doubling his “commitment to forums and mechanisms that promote government-government links with Greenland”, as well as his small assistance packages to develop the Greenland Mining Sector, along with its education and tourism.

By establishing this engagement strategy, the US can “benefit from significant benefits as it passes the heavy island of Denmark,” he noted, with the status quo allowing Washington to “have his cake and eat it too”.