Editing Greenland (section)

==Government and politics==
{{Main|Politics of Greenland}}
{{See also|2025 Greenlandic general election|Greenland and the European Union|Politics of Denmark}}
{{multiple image
| footer_align      = center
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark in 2021.jpg
| caption1          = [[Frederik X]], [[King of Denmark]]
| image2            = Mette Frederiksen Kööpenhaminassa 4.5.2022 (52049397038) (cropped).jpg
| caption2          = [[Prime Minister of Denmark]] [[Mette Frederiksen]]
| image3            = Múte Bourup Egede May 2021.jpg
| caption3          = [[Premier of Greenland]]<br /> [[Múte Bourup Egede]]
| total_width       = 300
}}
The Greenlandic government [[Naalakkersuisut]] holds [[executive power]] in local government affairs. The head of the Greenlandic government is called ''[[Naalakkersuisut Siulittaasuat]]'' ("Premier"). Any other member of the cabinet is called a ''[[Minister (government)|Naalakkersuisoq]]'' ("Minister"). The Greenlandic parliament is called ''[[Inatsisartut]]'' ("Legislators"). The parliament currently has 31 members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inatsisartut |url=https://ina.gl/organisation/sammensaetning-af-inatsisartut/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817182125/http://ina.gl/organisation/sammensaetning-af-inatsisartut/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 August 2018 |access-date=29 December 2020 |publisher=Inatsisartut.gl |language=kl}}</ref>

In contemporary times, elections are held at municipal, national (''[[Inatsisartut]]''), and kingdom (''[[Folketing]]'') levels.

Greenland is a self-governing entity within the [[constitutional monarchy]] of the Kingdom of Denmark, in which [[King Frederik X]] is the head of state. The monarch officially retains [[Executive (government)|executive power]] and presides over the [[Danish Council of State|Council of State]] ([[privy council]]).<ref>"The executive power is vested in the King." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 3.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>"The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in which the Successor to the Throne shall have a seat when he is of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the King..." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 17.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref> However, following the introduction of a [[parliamentary system]] of government, the duties of the monarch have since become strictly representative and [[ceremonial]],<ref>[http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/the-monarchy-today The Monarchy today] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215082552/http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-monarchy-in-denmark/the-monarchy-today |date=15 February 2015 }} – ''The Danish Monarchy'' (kongehuset.dk). Access date: 16 June 2012</ref> such as the formal appointment and dismissal of the [[Prime Minister of Denmark|prime minister]] and other ministers in the executive government. The monarch is not answerable for his or her actions, and the monarch's person is sacrosanct.<ref>"The King shall not be answerable for his actions; his person shall be sacrosanct." [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html The Constitution of Denmark – Section 13.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710092702/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/da00000_.html |date=10 July 2011 }}</ref>

Following World War II, the [[United Nations]] mandated that colonies should become independent, enter into [[associated state|free association]] with another country, or be fully integrated into the [[metropole]] (the former colonial power). Denmark opted in 1952 to integrate Greenland into the [[Danish Realm]]. In 1979, the Danish government and parliament introduced [[home rule]] for Greenland which meant that Naalakkersuisut could assume control over 17 different areas of government. Further devolution of power from Denmark to Greenland came with the "Greenland Self-Government Act" (GSGA) in 2009, that added 33 new areas of government to the pool, the Naalakkersuisut assume control over. The GSGA also resulted from a recognition in Denmark that the people of Greenland had a right to self-determination, and gave a legal section for Naalakkersuisut to trigger an independence process (Section 21, GSGA).<ref name=Jakobsen>{{Cite journal |last1=Jakobsen |first1=Uffe |last2=Larsen |first2=Henrik |date=2024-01-02 |title=The development of Greenland's self-government and independence in the shadow of the unitary state |journal=The Polar Journal |volume=14 |issue=1 |doi=10.1080/2154896X.2024.2342117 |issn=2154-896X |pages=9–10, 20–21 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024PolJ...14....9J}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Statsministeriet |title=Lov om Grønlands hjemmestyre |date=1978-11-29 |url=https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/1978/577 |access-date=2025-01-30}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Statsministeriet |title=Lov om Grønlands Selvstyre |date=2009-12-06 |url=https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2009/473 |access-date=2025-01-30}}</ref>

[[Greenland membership in the Council of Europe]] through Denmark also shows activities at international level, with the last recorded activity in January 2025 concerning a visit from the [[Committee for the Prevention of Torture]].

===Political system===
[[File:Christiansborg fra Nikolaj Kirken.jpg|thumb|[[Christiansborg Palace|Christiansborg]] in [[Copenhagen]], seat of the [[Folketing|Danish Parliament]], from where Greenland's foreign, defence and security policy is decided<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jonatan Robbert |first=Larsen |date=7 January 2025 |title=OVERBLIK: Hvad bestemmer Grønland selv? |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/udland/overblik-hvad-bestemmer-groenland-selv |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=[[DR (broadcaster)|DR]]}}</ref>]]
The party system was dominated by the social-democratic [[Forward (Greenland)|Forward]] Party, and the democratic socialist [[Inuit Community]] Party, both of which broadly have argued for greater independence from Denmark.{{when|date=January 2025}}

While the [[2009 Greenlandic parliamentary election|2009 election]] saw the unionist [[Democrats (Greenland)|Democrat]] Party (two&nbsp;MPs) decline greatly, the [[2013 Greenlandic parliamentary election|2013 election]] consolidated the power of the two main parties at the expense of the smaller groups, and saw the [[Eco-socialism|eco-socialist]] [[Inuit Party]] elected to the [[Parliament of Greenland|Parliament]] for the first time. The dominance of the Forward and Inuit Community parties began to wane after the snap [[2014 Greenlandic general election|2014]] and [[2018 Greenlandic general election|2018]] elections.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The non-binding [[2008 Greenlandic self-government referendum|2008 referendum on self-governance]] favouring increased self-governance and autonomy was passed winning 76.22% of the vote.<ref name=bbc20081127>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7749427.stm Greenland votes for more autonomy], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127031930/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7749427.stm |date=27 November 2008 }} [[BBC News]], 26 November 2008</ref>

In 1985, [[Greenland–European Union relations|Greenland left the European Economic Community]] (EEC), unlike Denmark, which remains a member. The EEC later became the [[European Union]] (EU, renamed and expanded in scope in 1992). Greenland retains some ties through its associated relationship with the EU. However, EU law largely does not apply to Greenland except in the area of trade. Greenland is designated as a member of the [[Special member state territories and the European Union|Overseas Countries and Territories]] (OCT) and is thus officially not a part of the [[European Union]], though Greenland can and does receive support from the [[European Development Fund]], [[Multiannual Financial Framework]], [[European Investment Bank]] and EU programmes.<ref name="euprofile">{{Cite web |title=EU Relations with Greenland |url=http://www.eeas.europa.eu/greenland/index_en.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609050531/http://eeas.europa.eu/greenland/index_en.htm |archive-date=9 June 2011 |access-date=3 October 2020 |publisher=European Union}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) |url=http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/development/overseas_countries_territories/index_en.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813192112/http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/development/overseas_countries_territories/index_en.htm |archive-date=13 August 2011 |access-date=3 October 2020 |publisher=European Union}}</ref>

===Government===
[[File:Greenland-municipalities-2018.svg|thumb|upright|Municipalities of Greenland]]
Greenland's [[head of state]] is [[King Frederik X]]. The King's [[politics of Denmark|government in Denmark]] appoints a [[List of Danish High Commissioners in Greenland|high commissioner]] (''Rigsombudsmand'') to represent it on the island. The commissioner is [[Julie Præst Wilche]].

The Greenland constituency elects two [[List of members of the Folketing|MP]] representatives to the Kingdom Parliament (''[[Folketing]]et'') in Denmark, out of a total of 179. The current representatives are [[Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam]] of the [[Naleraq]] Party and [[Aaja Chemnitz Larsen]] of the [[Inuit Community]] Party.<ref>[http://www.ft.dk/ Folketinget – Folketinget.dk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628025221/http://www.ft.dk/ |date=28 June 2015 }}. Ft.dk. Retrieved on 21 June 2016.</ref>

Greenland has a national [[Parliament of Greenland|Parliament]] that consists of [[List of members of the parliament of Greenland|31 representatives]]. The government is the [[Naalakkersuisut]], whose members are appointed by the [[List of Premiers of Greenland|premier]]. The premier is the [[head of government]], and is usually the leader of the majority party in Parliament. The premier is [[Múte Bourup Egede]] of the [[Inuit Ataqatigiit]] party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Múte Egede er ny formand for Naalakkersuisut |url=https://knr.gl/da/nyheder/m%C3%BAte-egede-er-ny-formand-naalakkersuisut |access-date=23 April 2021 |website=KNR |language=da |archive-date=25 April 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220425182002/https://knr.gl/da/nyheder/m%C3%BAte-egede-er-ny-formand-naalakkersuisut |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
{{Main|Administrative divisions of Greenland}}
Formerly consisting of three counties comprising a total of 18 municipalities, Greenland abolished these in 2009 and has since been divided into large territories known as "municipalities" ({{langx|kl|kommuneqarfiit}}, {{langx|da|kommuner}}): ''[[Sermersooq]]'' ("Much Ice") around the capital [[Nuuk]] and also including all [[Tunu|East Coast]] communities; ''[[Kujalleq]]'' ("South") around [[Cape Farewell, Greenland|Cape Farewell]]; ''[[Qeqqata]]'' ("Centre") north of the capital along the [[Davis Strait]]; ''[[Qeqertalik]]'' ("The one with islands") surrounding [[Disko Bay]]; and ''[[Avannaata]]'' ("Northern") in the northwest; the latter two having come into being as a result of the [[Qaasuitsup]] municipality, one of the original four, being partitioned in 2018. The northeast of the island composes the unincorporated [[Northeast Greenland National Park]]. [[Pituffik Space Base]] is also unincorporated, an enclave within Avannaata municipality. As a [[Concessions and leases in international relations|territorial concession]] granted to the United States in perpetuity, it is administered by the [[United States Space Force]]. During its construction, there were as many as 12,000 American residents but in recent{{clarify|date=January 2025}} years the number has been below 1,000.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Military===
{{Main|Military of Greenland}}
[[File:Thule air base above.jpeg|thumb|The United States has operated [[Pituffik Space Base]], originally Thule Air Base, since the 1950s.]]
Greenland does not have its own military. As a territory of Denmark, the [[Danish military]] is responsible for Greenland's defence and the island is within the area overseen by the [[NATO]] military alliance. The [[Joint Arctic Command]] is the Danish military branch responsible for Greenland. It includes several patrol ships, [[maritime patrol aircraft]], helicopters, and the elite [[Sirius Dog Sled Patrol]]. The Danish military has personnel based at [[Nuuk]], [[Kangerlussuaq]], [[Daneborg]], [[Station Nord]], [[Mestersvig]], [[Grønnedal]], and a liaison detachment at [[Pituffik Space Base|Thule Air Base]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Arctic |url=https://www.fmn.dk/en/topics/national-tasks/arctic/ |website=[[Danish Ministry of Defence]] |date=19 February 2021}}</ref>

There is also one [[United States military]] base in Greenland: [[Pituffik Space Base]] (previously Thule Air Base), which is home to the [[United States Space Force]]'s global network of sensors providing missile warning, space surveillance and space control to [[North American Aerospace Defense Command|North American Aerospace Defence Command]] (NORAD). Elements of the sensor systems are commanded and controlled variously by Space Deltas [[Space Delta 2|2]], [[Space Delta 4|4]], and [[Space Delta 6|6]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 August 2019 |title=Trump reportedly wants to 'buy' Greenland. This is what it's like at the US's Arctic base there |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/serve-at-thule-air-base-in-greenland-2019-8 |url-status=live |access-date=19 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819203046/https://www.businessinsider.com/serve-at-thule-air-base-in-greenland-2019-8 |archive-date=19 August 2019}}</ref> Formerly there had been several U.S. bases in Greenland. The 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement allowed the United States to keep its military bases there, and to establish new bases with the consent of Greenland and Denmark, if deemed necessary by NATO.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Weber |editor1-first=Joachim |title=Handbook on Geopolitics and Security in the Arctic |date=2020 |publisher=Springer |page=79}}</ref>

In 1995, a political scandal in Denmark occurred after a report revealed the government had given tacit permission for [[Nuclear weapons of the United States|nuclear weapons]] to be located in Greenland, in contravention of Denmark's 1957 [[nuclear-free zone]] policy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=H. C. |author-link=H. C. Hansen |date=16 November 1957 |title=Danish Prime Minister Gives Tacit Go-Ahead For U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Greenland |url=http://www.nautilus.org/archives/library/security/foia/DKhansen57.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106145717/http://www.nautilus.org/archives/library/security/foia/DKhansen57.html |archive-date=6 November 2007 |access-date=20 March 2009 |publisher=The Nautilus Institute}}</ref><ref name="h-bomb">{{Cite news |date=21 January 2018 |title=Cataclysmic cargo: The hunt for four missing nuclear bombs after a B-52 crash |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/01/21/cataclysmic-cargo-the-hunt-for-four-missing-nuclear-bombs-after-a-b-52-crash/?noredirect=on |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-date=7 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607060100/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/01/21/cataclysmic-cargo-the-hunt-for-four-missing-nuclear-bombs-after-a-b-52-crash/?noredirect=on |url-status=live}}</ref> The United States built a secret nuclear powered base, called [[Camp Century]], in the Greenland ice sheet.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 March 2019 |title=A Top-Secret US Military Base Will Melt Out of the Greenland Ice Sheet |work=VICE Magazine |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/cold-war-era-nuclear-base-camp-century-melting-climate-change-greenland/ |url-status=live |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820161848/https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/d3wdb7/cold-war-era-nuclear-base-camp-century-melting-climate-change-greenland |archive-date=20 August 2019}}</ref> On 21 January 1968, a B-52G, with four nuclear bombs aboard as part of [[Operation Chrome Dome]], [[1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash|crashed on the ice]] of the North Star Bay while attempting an emergency landing at [[Pituffik Space Base|Thule Air Base]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 November 2008 |title=The Cold War's Missing Atom Bombs |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-nuclear-needle-in-a-haystack-the-cold-war-s-missing-atom-bombs-a-590513.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627105727/https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-nuclear-needle-in-a-haystack-the-cold-war-s-missing-atom-bombs-a-590513.html |archive-date=27 June 2019}}</ref> The resulting fire caused extensive radioactive contamination.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 June 2019 |title=US B-52 nuclear bomber crash in Greenland 51 years ago has ill Danes seeking compensation |work=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-b-52-nuclear-bomber-crash-in-greenland-51-years-ago-has-ill-danes-seeking-compensation |url-status=live |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608024754/https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-b-52-nuclear-bomber-crash-in-greenland-51-years-ago-has-ill-danes-seeking-compensation |archive-date=8 June 2019}}</ref> One of the [[Thermonuclear weapon|H-bombs]] remains lost.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Corera |first=Gordon |date=10 November 2008 |title=Mystery of lost US nuclear bomb |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7720049.stm |access-date=22 August 2019 |archive-date=23 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023165716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7720049.stm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=11 November 2008 |title=US left nuclear weapon under ice in Greenland |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greenland/3439318/US-left-nuclear-weapon-under-ice-in-Greenland.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820163632/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greenland/3439318/US-left-nuclear-weapon-under-ice-in-Greenland.html |archive-date=20 August 2019}}</ref>