With Greenland elections resulting in win for pro-independence party, here’s all that happened since Donald Trump’s proposal

Greenland's pro-independence Demokraatit Party has secured a victory in the general elections held recently on the semi-autonomous Danish island. The party, which is also characterised as a pro-business one, favors eventual independence from Denmark. According to the poll results of the Greenland elections, released on Wednesday, the Demokraatit Party emerged victorious on 10 out of the 31 seats in the Inatsisartut parliament, gaining more than a three-fold increase in its legislative strength.

Huge blow to Donald Trump's ambition

The result marked a setback to the ambitions of US President Donald Trump, who had previously announced his plans to include Greenland as a part of the US. Demokraatit Party's victory is considered to be a sharp rebuke of the American leader's desires by Greenlanders. The Centre-Right party is set to begin talks with other parties to form a coalition government.

Pro-independence parties soar in Greenland

The Demokraatit Party is not the only pro-independence party whose popularity soared in the recently-held general election. The Naleraq, a strongly pro-independence party that strongly advocates full sovereignty for Greenland and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination, doubled its strength in the Inatsisartut parliament to eight as compared to the previous election. This comes as fears of an American acquisition looms over Greenland.


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Demokraatit Party emphasises on 'strong foundation' for Greenland’s independence

According to news agency Reuters, Demokraatit leader Jens Frederik Neilsen, speaking after the final vote count, highlighted that his party's efforts for Greenland's independence from Denmark would focus on building a "good foundation", saying "We don't want independence tomorrow."

What Nielsen had to say about Donald Trump's plans

In the run-up to the now-concluded election, Nielsen had strongly criticised Trump's interest in taking over Greenland, terming it a threat to the self-governing island's "political independence". Last week, Trump, while addressing a joint session of the Congress, made efforts to court Greenlanders to join the US. He had also acknowledged Greenland's "right" to determine its own future, before taking on a more aggressive stance that the mineral-rich island would be part of the US 'one way or the other'.

How Greenland leaders have reacted to Donald Trump's proposal

With a potential US acquisition looming large, Greenland's freedom aspirations emerged as the central theme for the general polls. Responding to Trump's message for Greenlanders, the island's interim Prime Minister Mute Egede rebuffed him, saying its populace neither wants to be American, nor Danish. He had further said that Greenland is "not for sale and cannot be taken".

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Greenland holds strategic importance for the US as it seeks to counter growing Chinese and Russian threats and influence in the Arctic region. Greenland, despite its vast mineral resources, has a largely untapped economic potential, primarily due to extreme weather conditions and environmental concerns.

FAQs

Why does Donald Trump want Greenland?
Greenland holds strategic importance in the Arctic region for the US in face of looming threats from Russia and China in the region.

What Greenland has to offer economically?
Greenland has an abundance of mineral resources. However, its potential remains largely untapped due to extreme weather conditions and environmental concerns.