Commentary
Greenland’s Election 2014: A Return to Pragmatism
Page Wilson
Following the resignations of Greenlandic Prime Minister Aleqa Hammond and four other ministers
due to allegations of misuse of public funds, an extraordinary election was held on 28 November 2014.
Under the new leadership of Kim Kielsen, Hammond’s own social-democratic party, Siumut
(‘Forward’) won the highest proportion of votes (34.6%), narrowly beating the nationalist/left-socialist
party Inuit Ataqatigiit (‘Community of the People’) by a 1.1% margin. Both parties won eleven seats
in Parliament. In order to secure the minimum of 16 seats needed to hold power in Parliament, Siumut
has subsequently entered into coalition with two of Greenland’s smaller parties – social-liberal
Demokraatit (‘Democrat’) and conservative Atassut (‘Solidarity’). Both share Siumut’s stance in
favour of economic liberalism.
From this outcome, it is possible to draw some lessons about the Greenlandic political landscape
which are often overlooked by international commentators and audiences alike.
First, the Siumut party remains the long-standing, p