Greenland is remote, much of it untouched and beautiful. It has until recently managed to stay out of the limelight.
But it is now being interfered with by the world’s most powerful man, right on the eve of an important national election.
That meddling is making this a highly charged vote and undoubtedly having an influence, but perhaps not in the way Donald Trump wants.
Social media influencer and parliamentary candidate Qupanuk Olsen told Sky News Donald Trump’s intervention is forcing Greenlanders to decide where they stand.
“Everyone in Greenland now has to have an opinion on whether we should stay under Denmark or whether we should become a state under the US or whether we should become independent.
“It’s making us aware, we are worth more than what the Danish people have been telling us for the last 300 years, maybe we can stand on our own two feet.”
Qupanuk Olsen says Trump’s influence is forcing all Greenlanders to consider their future
Donald Trump isn’t the first US president to want Greenland – here’s why
Poll shows 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining US as Denmark shores up European support
Many here are outright angry that the American president has openly talked about taking their territory. They do not want to become American for a host of reasons.
CEO of Raw Arctic Tour Company, Casper Frank Moller, told us Greenlanders would never want to become Americans.
“I think our entire society, our culture is so embedded into nature, like this is what we run our businesses on, is going out into nature and this is not aligning with the capitalistic society of the United States.”
Casper Frank Moller (L) and Aningo Brogerg agree that Trump has been good for business
His partner, Aningo Brogerg, CEO of Sumut Greenland, was more blunt when it comes to America’s president.
“I think that guy’s a lunatic. He’s mad. There’s something wrong with his head.”
But both said he had been very good for business.
“You know, Donald Trump going out and talking about Greenland like it has never been mentioned before. It’s just it’s on everybody’s lips,” Mr Moller said.
Donald Trump has focused attention on Greenland and the election
Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory. It has the right to vote for independence if it wants. But many are wary. They value the free health care and security Denmark offers.
It may be the world’s biggest island – Australia’s classed as a continent – but its population is only 56,000.
Every party running seeks independence but they differ in how quickly it should happen.
What message might this election send Donald Trump? We asked Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit Party.
“I hope it sends a clear message to him that we are not for sale,” he said. 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.”
Demokraatit Party leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen says Greenlanders want complete independence
Donald Trump has undoubtedly raised Greenland’s profile and energised its politics. This election will show how far that might take the territory away from Denmark and how much its people are tempted by Trump.
#President #Trump #forcing #Greenlanders #confront #future #World #News
Leave a Reply