Greenland party favouring slower independence wins election

Parliamentary polls dominated by Trump's pledge to take control of island

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NUUK, Greenland - Greenland's pro-business opposition Demokraatit party, which favours a slow approach to independence from Denmark, won March 11's parliamentary election that was dominated by US President Donald Trump's pledge to take control of the island.

Demokraatit secured 29.9 per cent of the votes with all ballots counted, up from 9.1 per cent in 2021, ahead of the opposition Naleraq party, which favours rapid independence, at 24.5 per cent.

Since taking office in January, Mr Trump has vowed to make Greenland a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark - part of the United States, saying it is vital to US security interests, an idea rejected by most Greenlanders.

The vast island, with a population of just 57,000, has been caught up in a geopolitical race for dominance in the Arctic, where melting ice caps are making its resources more accessible and opening new shipping routes.

Both Russia and China have intensified military activity in the region.

"People want change... We want more business to finance our welfare," said Mr Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Demokraatit's leader and a former minister of industry and minerals. "We don't want independence tomorrow, we want a good foundation," he told reporters in Nuuk. He will now hold talks with other parties to try and form a governing coalition.

The ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit party and its partner Siumut, which also seek a slow path towards independence, won a combined 36 per cent of votes, down from 66.1 per cent in 2021.