General elections were held in Greenland on 11 March 2025 to elect the 31 members of the Inatsisartut.[1] The opposition Democrats won a plurality of ten seats.[2]

Background

Independence was the most important issue of the election.[3] The government declared in February 2024 that independence was its goal.[4] At a press conference in early 2025, pro-independence prime minister Múte Bourup Egede said that "work has already begun on creating the framework for Greenland as an independent state" and apparently hinted that an independence referendum could take place in April 2025, in tandem with the election.[5][6] In addition to the five parties already represented in the Inatsisartut, a new sixth party with a primary focus on Greenlandic independence, Qulleq, gained ballot access a month before the election.[7]

However, after American president-elect Donald Trump renewed his demand for ownership of Greenland, Egede played down any notion of immediate independence and instead stressed the need for reforms of the cooperation between the governments of Denmark and Greenland at a press conference in Copenhagen on 10 January 2025.[8] In an interview on Fox News on 16 January, Egede stated that Greenlanders have no wish to become a part of the U.S.,[9] and an opinion poll that month showed 85% of those surveyed opposed the proposal with 6% in favour and 9% unsure.[10]

In the run-up to the election, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and the Danish Defence Intelligence Service announced they were actively monitoring for potential attempts by foreign powers to influence the outcome of the Greenlandic elections.[11][12] In an interview with TV 2, independent analysts named the United States, Russia and China as possible instigators of clandestine action in the country.[11]

Electoral system

The 31 members of the Inatsisartut are elected by open list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency. Seats are allocated using the d'Hondt method.[13] While there is no formal threshold, parties need around 3% of total votes to gain seats.[14]

Participating parties

A total of six parties and 213 candidates participated in the elections:[15]

Nr. Party Abbr. Ideology Candidates Stance on independence
1 Inuit Ataqatigiit IA Greenlandic independence
Democratic socialism
Environmentalism 		39 Gradual independence[16]
2 Siumut S Greenlandic independence
Social democracy 		51 Gradual independence[16]
3 Naleraq N Greenlandic independence
Populism 		62 Rapid independence[16]
4 Democrats D Greenlandic independence
Social liberalism 		25 Gradual independence[16]
5 Atassut A Greenlandic unionism
Liberalism 		20 Against independence[17]
6 Qulleq Q Greenlandic independence 16 Rapid independence[18]

Members standing down

Name Party
Kalistat Lund Inuit Ataqatigiit
Eqaluk Høegh Inuit Ataqatigiit

Opinion polls

Date Polling firm Sample size S IA D N A NQ SA Lead
2025 election — — 14.88% 21.62% 30.26% 24.77% 7.39% – – 5.49%
22–27 Jan 2025 Verian[19] 497 21.9% 31.0% 18.8% 16.5% 9.7% — — 9.1%
2022 Danish election — — 38.6% 25.2% 19.0% 12.6% 3.7% — 0.9% 13.4%
2021 election — — 30.1% 37.4% 9.25% 12.3% 7.1% 2.4% 1.4% 7.3%

Results

PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Democrats8,56330.26+21.0110+7
Naleraq7,00924.77+12.518+4
Inuit Ataqatigiit6,11921.62–15.827–5
Siumut4,21014.88–15.224–6
Atassut2,0927.39+0.3120
Qulleq3051.08New0New
Total28,298100.00–310
Valid votes28,29898.87
Invalid/blank votes3221.13
Total votes28,620100.00
Registered voters/turnout40,36970.90+4.98
Source: Qinersineq.gl

Municipality results

Municipality Party by percentage
A D IA N Q S
Avannaata 8.6 29 11.5 33.7 0.5 16.3
Kujalleq 7.8 27.9 27 15.2 1.6 18.8
Qeqertalik 7.9 25.4 19.4 31.5 1.2 13.6
Sermersooq 6.1 33.5 26.9 18.5 0.6 13
Qeqqata 8.2 26.4 16.8 30.1 2.3 15.2

Results analysis

The centre-right opposition Democrats won the most seats.[20] The Associated Press described the outcome as "a surprising victory" and an "upset", with party leader Jens Frederik Nielsen appearing surprised at the results during their watch-party.[21] Inuit Ataqatigiit had been expected to win the election but instead suffered a significant decline.[21] The Democrats will have to negotiate with other parties in order to form a coalition government.[22]

Nielsen also stated that the results should be a clear message to the United States and Donald Trump that "We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope."[21]

Reactions

  •  Denmark: Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen congratulated the Demokraatit party and said that the future of Greenland is up to Greenlanders, not the United States, while Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also congratulated the Demokraatit party calling the results a "a celebration of democracy."[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hyldal, Christine (4 February 2025). "Múte B. Egede opfordrer til valg 11. marts - og sådan bliver det" (in Danish). Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa.
  2. ^ Derhgawen, Shubhangi (11 March 2025). "Demokraatit wins Greenland parliamentary election". DW.
  3. ^ "Greenland's Premier will visit Denmark's king after all". Copenhagen Post. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  4. ^ Gray, Alexander B. (25 November 2024). "Why Trump Really Should 'Buy' Greenland". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Greenland's leader wants independence from Denmark as Trump hovers over Arctic island". Politico. 3 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Greenland's PM pushes for independence from Denmark". Euronews. 3 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  7. ^ Berthelsen, Jensine (7 February 2025). "Partiet Qulleq klar til at stille op". Sermitsiaq (in Danish).
  8. ^ "Grønlænderne vil ikke være danskere - eller amerikanere: Her er de vigtigste pointer fra pressemøde". DR. 10 January 2025.
  9. ^ "Greenland's prime minister says Arctic island doesn't want to be part of the US: 'Always be a strong partner'". Fox News. 16 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the United States, poll shows". Reuters. 29 January 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Eksperter frygter desinformation og udenlandsk indblanding – "ser det allerede"". TV 2. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  12. ^ Hivert, Anne-Françoise (5 February 2025). "Greenland prepares for risks of foreign interference". Le Monde. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Election Profile". IFES Election Guide.
  14. ^ "Grønland har ingen formel spærregrænse" (in Danish). 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Valglisten er godkendt: Se de opstillede kandidater" (in Danish). 19 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d "Greenland's independence gradualists win election amid Trump control pledge". 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Parti i overraskende "sneskredssejr" – dårligt nyt for Mette Frederiksen, siger analytiker". 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  18. ^ Adserballe, Nicolas; Jacobsen, Johanne Breum (8 February 2025). "Grønland står over for et skæbnevalg. Information klæder dig på til at følge med". Information (in Danish). Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  19. ^ "Medie: IA og Siumut står til tilbagegang i måling". Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (in Danish). 7 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  20. ^ "Surprise result in Greenland as centre-right party wins elections". The National. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  21. ^ a b c d KIRKA, DANICA. "Greenland's election winners push back against Trump's wish to take control of the island". Associated Press. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Greenland's opposition wins election dominated by independence and Trump". BBC News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Greenlandic_general_election
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