Greenland elections: Trump's threats strengthen the independence movement

CopenhagenNever has the world looked so closely an election to decide the 31 deputies who will occupy the Parliament of Greenland (Inatsisartut). This Tuesday, 40,000 people are called to vote in an election marked by pressure and interference from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said in recent weeks, even using military threats against an ally like Denmark, that he wants to take control of the Arctic island.

The last Trump's message Trump's tweet, which means interference in the Greenlandic elections, was posted 24 hours before the voting began on his social network Truth Social. "We are ready to invest billions of dollars in Greenland to create new jobs and make you rich," the president wrote. But in Nuuk, many Greenlanders view Trump's ambitions with nervousness and fear that they have become a chess pawn on the chessboard of global geopolitics. Others, however, have seen Washington's intentions as a way to accelerate the debate on the independence of the island, which today maintains the status of an autonomous territory within the kingdom of Denmark.

In fact, the debate on independence is not a new issue in Greenlandic politics, as explained by Massana Egede, editor-in-chief of the country's main daily newspaper, Sermitsiaq"It has been talked about for generations, but ever since Trump Jr. landed in Nuuk, the US has put a lot of pressure on the people and politicians of Greenland." According to Egede, this pressure has led the parties to put aside debates about the social problems facing the island during the election campaign and, instead, "these days everything has revolved around independence and the need to decide our future."

Of the six parties running in the elections, five are fully pro-independence, but there are differences of opinion among them on when a referendum should be held, which was agreed in the self-government pact with Denmark in 2009. In the only survey carried out in recent weeks, published in the newspapers, the referendum was held in the first half of 2010. Berlingske (Danish) and Sermitsiaq (Greenlandic), indicated that 85% of the population does not want to become a part of the US, while a similar majority wants independence from Denmark. This position is also supported by Prime Minister Mute Egede, leader of the progressive Inuit party Ataqatigiit, who said in response to Trump's comments: "We don't want to be Americans or Danes, we are kalaal bed(a reference to the name given to the indigenous population of Greenland, which makes up 88% of the island). The other governing partner, the social democratic party Siumut, argues that there is no rush to separate from Denmark, although it is the party's long-term goal.

On the other hand, the main opposition party, Naleraq, has seen its popularity grow thanks to its staunch defence of independence as soon as possible. This populist party has welcomed Trump's calls with the most open arms, and although they reject being annexed, they are committed to strengthening ties with Washington. Once Greenland has achieved independence, the party advocates exploiting natural resources such as mineral reserves. Many of its supporters believe that this would help diversify the economy of the Arctic island, which is supported by fish exports, and stop depending on the subsidy of 522 million euros that the Danish government provides annually and which represents more than half of the self-government budget.

Greenland's difficulties

According to editor and journalist Massana Egede, Trump's ambitions "have served to add fuel to the fire in already tense relations and the feeling of grievance that exists in Greenland with Denmark." In 1953 Greenland left behind two centuries of colonization, but it was not until two decades later that it achieved autonomy. One of the scandals that has recently outraged Nuuk the most was the revelation that during decades of the 20th century 4,500 people lived in Greenland. Greenlandic women had an intrauterine device implanted (IUD) without their consent in order to control birth rates among the indigenous population by the Danish authorities, acts that have been defined as a "genocide" by the current Greenlandic government.

In another episode, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly apologized to those affected by the separation of Greenlandic children who were torn from their families and taken to live in Denmark, in what had been considered in the 1950s and 1960s. Beyond that, Alcoholism and a high suicide rate are a scourge that plagues Greenland, as well as the population loss, which experts estimate will have been reduced by 10,000 people in 25 years, as many people prefer to move to Denmark to receive health care or to pursue university studies.

Massana Egede regrets that, during a key election, the shadow of Donald Trump has covered the entire debate and no other issues have been discussed: "The price of food in supermarkets is one of the most expensive in the world, a flat in Nuuk costs the same as in Copenhagen, and our health system"