Greenland’s Election: Children, Fish, Airports – and Some Independence

Children’s rights, the construction of new airports, fisheries legislation and future independence are on top of the list of the election campaign program for the Siumut party on Greenland.

Greenland’s largest party, the Siumut social democratic party, will enter the election campaign period with more headlines than just an independent Greenland.

Party Chairman Kim Kielsen, who also leads the self-rule government Naalakkersuisut, points in particular to children’s rights and conditions on Greenland. 

It is a well-known fact that many children and youth on Greenland live under difficult circumstances, some of them are even significantly at risk.

Siumut wants to do something about that.

The construction of new airports is another significant issue for the party, in particular given the tourist industry and the general infrastructure in the country.

The one issue, however, that has contributed the most to the issuing of new elections on 24 April, is the proposal from Naalakkersuisut about new fisheries legislation.

During the presentation of Siumut’s election program, the Minister of Fisheries and Hunting, Karl Kristian Kruse, stressed that the party will still work for the fishery resources to be distributed more widely.

Kruse admitted, however, that the many and strong reactions that have come, in particular from the established fish industry, will lead to the party’s modifying its legislation proposal should it end up in government after the new elections.

The smallest coalition partner in the current government, Partii Naleraq, has said it wants to work towards Greenlandic independence from Denmark by 2021. 

Siumut Chairman Kielsen will not join in setting a fixed date for independence, however, he just argues that the party will work towards independence “when the people is ready”.