A party that has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to take over Greenland secured a surprise election victory on Tuesday in the Danish territory, but it may have to govern with a partner with a far warmer view of the U.S. president.
The center-right, pro-business Demokraatit party, which favors a gradual move towards independence from Denmark and won 30% of the total vote share, which is not enough for to single-handedly rule the Arctic territory. The party will instead need to partner with opponents to form a coalition.
Foremost among those other parties is the second-placed opposition party Naleraq, which won a quarter of the vote share, favors rapid independence, and has reserved warm words for the Trump administration.
The victory of two parties who favor independence — seceding from Denmark is broadly popular in Greenland — albeit on different timelines, may be taken as a positive in Washington, where interest in the world’s largest island has sharply jumped since President Trump began his second term.
