Greenland will hold general election on March 11

7/2/2025 6:23

Greenland's ruling

Siumut party plans to hold a vote on independence following a

general election next month, it said on Thursday, an issue made

urgent by U.S. President Donald Trump's expressed interest in

acquiring the island.



The semi-autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark,

on Wednesday called a general election to be held on March 11.



Leading issues in the election campaign include Greenland's

aspirations to be independent and its relationship with Denmark

and the United States under Trump who has repeatedly expressed a

desire to "get" the strategically significant island.



Greenland, a Danish colony until 1953, has extensive

self-governing rights.



Siumut, a partner in Greenland's two-party government

coalition, plans to invoke an article in a 2009 law that granted

Greenland increased autonomy, including the right to negotiate

full independence, the party's political spokesperson Doris

Jensen told Reuters on Thursday.



She said Greenland needed to be independent from Denmark to

be able to negotiate its future.



"Until our country achieves the status of an independent

state, our opportunities to officially participate in

negotiations will be limited," she said.



Siumut party leader Erik Jensen told Danish broadcaster DR

he expected the vote on independence would happen "within the

next election period", but was not more specific. Elections are

held every four years.



All five political parties in parliament have said they

do not want Greenland to become part of the United States.



An opinion poll published last week also indicated 85% of

Greenlanders are opposed, with nearly half saying they see

Trump's interest as a threat.



Greenland, rich in untapped mineral resources, relies

heavily on fishing and grants from Denmark for its economy.



Jensen said any decision on independence must be made with

full awareness of the implications.



"It must be on an informed basis, so that the population is

not in doubt about the consequences. We have a welfare society

that must function. We have some economic aspects that we also

need to look at," he said.



The social-democratic Siumut party holds 10 seats in the

31-seat parliament. The country's third biggest party Naleraq

has also said it wants to sever ties with Denmark immediately.