ASSESSMENTS

Mining, Nationalism and Transition in Greenland

Mar 13, 2013 | 14:05 GMT

People at a polling station March 12 in Nuuk, Greenland

ULRICH BANG/AFP/Getty Images

Summary

After winning the largest share of votes in parliamentary elections held March 12, Greenland's social democratic party, Siumut, is poised to once again govern the country, as it did for three decades prior to 2009. Developing the island's mining sector will remain a priority for Greenland no matter who is governing, and such development will do much to steer the island’s pursuit of greater autonomy from Denmark.

With its mining sector still in the early stages of development, Greenland will continue to rely on assistance from Denmark, and Copenhagen will try to deepen economic ties even as Nuuk pursues full autonomy. While Greenland’s population will profit from orienting the national economy toward mining, the island will likely struggle to maintain social and cultural cohesion.

After elections, the new government will need to balance mining sector development with concerns over social cohesion....

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