The Democratic Opposition made surprising gains amidst a closely watched parliamentary election in Greenland, but does it change much?
The international community has been closely following the recent parliamentary elections in Greenland, as the question of who should own the island came into the limelight with Donald Trump's election. Many of the observes called the election results “surprising” or a “strong signal” against American meddling in the politics of Greenland.
Demokraatit (en: The Democrats) scored a victory against the previously ruling left-wing coalition, changing the political trajectory of Greenland. However, it is important to understand that the political landscape of the island is not what most people believe it to be, as showcased by the fact that many publications only focus on the American annexation issue. In order to understand the political issue of island’s autonomy one should delve into history.
Originally a colony of Denmark, it gained its political autonomy in 1979. The island obtained home rule, meaning it got its own parliament and laws. But Copenhagen still kept some control, especially in the areas of foreign relations, defence, currency matters, and the legal system.
After the 2008 self-government referendum, where more than 75 per cent of the population voted in favor of decentralization, Greenland extended its authority over law enforcement, the coast guard, and the legal system. The official language was changed from Danish to Greenlandic in 2009. The new self-rule system also has allowed the autonomy to hold independence referendums. However, ever since this law was adopted no such referendums were held.
As the island’s autonomy increased so did the demands of the people. Since 2009 the majority of Greenland’s population preferred independence over maintaining status quo. Polls from 2016, 2019, and 2025 show that there has been a clear pro-independence majority. This fact heavily affects the politics of the island, as all political parties support this motion one way or another.
Greenland has five main political parties that represent different political views, from socialists to conservatives. Despite the fact that all of them are united by a single goal—independence—they have different views on how said goal should be achieved.
The previous government was headed by Inuit Ataqatigiit (en: Community of the People), a left-wing socialist party that pushes for independence after establishing economic stability, in coalition with the social-democratic Siumut (en: Forward) party, that also proposes a cautious approach to independence.
Demokraatit is a centre-right party that also supports gradual transition to independence, however, unlike the previous two it embraces a free-market economy.
The only party that had previously opposed independence is Atassut (en: Solidarity), however during this election the party did not, as it advocated for the development of a clear plan before any action is taken. It is more socially conservative than Demokraatit.
The polar opposite of Atassut is Naleraq (en: Point of Orientation), a centrist party that advocates for rapid independence as soon as an opportunity presents itself.
Some publications in the media reported that the election results were surprising. This is an expected reaction, as not many polls were taken. In fact, there’s only one poll from January 2025, which predicted that the Inuit Ataqatigiit-Siumut coalition would still hold the majority. But when the votes were counted the previously ruling parties only received third and fourth places, despite being the majority for over a decade.
The two biggest parties in the parliament now are Demokraatit and Naleraq, with the former having a 5 per cent lead over the latter. This victory is attributed to their focus on social and economic issues, while other parties focused on geopolitical problems, such as Trump’s allegations. The success of Demokraatit surprised even the party leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, who stated, “We had not expected that the election would have this outcome.”
The success of Naleraq can be attributed to the fact that the previous coalition government had a cautious approach to independence, which could’ve disappointed a part of the electorate, who wanted immediate action and sovereignty.
With Greenland being a point of contention between the EU and the U.S. some people wonder how this election will affect the current status of the island. According to Dwayne Menezes, the managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative, “What approach to independence will win the day will ultimately depend on whether Demokraatit decides to form a coalition government, and if so, with which party.” So while it is too early to tell, one thing is certain: Greenland stays on a path toward independence, one way or another.
Sources: MSM News, The Hill, Qinersineq, CNN, Euractiv, Europe Elects, Arctic Portal, Associated Press, NPR, Sermitsiaq (in Danish), Altinget (in Danish)
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Greenland’s Political Landscape Turned Upside Down After Elections
