The Times: Greenland’s election results reject Trump’s proposal for US control

Greenland’s centre-right opposition party, Demokraatit (The Democrats), secured a surprising victory in the island's parliamentary elections, as voters appeared to reject President Trump’s offer to take control of the island.

Demokraatit (the Democrats), a pro-business party that favours gradual independence from Denmark, secured 29.9 per cent of the vote in the parliamentary elections, up from 9 per cent in 2021, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Times.

Naleraq (Point of Orientation), a pro-independence party, followed with 24.5 percent of the vote, while Inuit Ataqatigiit (Community of the People), which had been expected to win, placed third.

The results suggest that Greenlanders favor a slow approach to independence, in contrast to Trump’s push for Greenland to immediately break from Denmark and become part of the United States. Ahead of the election, Trump promised to continue safeguarding the island's residents and vowed to invest billions to create jobs. However, both Greenland and Denmark have rejected his proposals.

He wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social: “We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH.”

The island’s strategic position in the Arctic and untapped mineral resources have been an attraction to Trump since his first term in office when he offered to buy it.

“We need Greenland for national security. One way or the other we’re gonna get it,” the president said during his address to the US Congress last week. Greenland and Denmark’s leaders have repeatedly rebuffed his demands.

The Demokraatit leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen described the outcome as a “historic result in Greenland’s political history” and expressed his party’s happiness with the unexpected victory. “We had not expected that the election would have this outcome,” the 33-year-old said. “We are very happy.”

Four of the five main parties in the race sought independence but disagreed on when and how it could happen.

At present, Greenland governs its own domestic affairs, but decisions on foreign and defence policy are made in Copenhagen.

Polls showed that up to 84 per cent of the island’s 56,000 population support independence in principle.

By Khagan Isayev