Politics of Greenland

Politics of Greenland takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Danish constituent country. The Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Greenland is a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979. Executive power is exercised by the government.

Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Greenland (known as Inatsisartut). The current coalition government consists of the social democratic Siumut, the separatist and socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit and the conservative liberal and unionist Atassut. These political parties have a majority of the seats in the Parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Executive branch

The monarch of Denmark is also head of state of Greenland. She is represented by a High Commissioner, appointed by her. The Prime Minister is elected by Parliament and leads the Naalakkersuisut (Government of Greenland). The cabinet ministry is referred to as Kielsen I Cabinet.

Main office-holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
Queen	Margrethe II of Denmark		14 January 1972
High Commissioner	Mikaela Engell		1 April 2011
Prime Minister	Kim Kielsen	Siumut	18 October 2014

Legislative branch

Greenland has a unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms). Two representatives are elected to the Parliament of Denmark by the Greenlandic people, this happens every time there is a general election in Denmark. Currently these two members come from these parties: Inuit Ataqatigiit 1, Siumut 1.

Judicial branch

The judiciary in Greenland consists of :

• District Courts - lay judges similar to justice of the peace in other countries
• Greenland High Court or Grønlands Landsret
• Court of Greenland

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Greenland

Diplomatic representations

With Denmark having responsibility for Greenland's international affairs, other countries do not have direct diplomatic representation in Greenland—their embassies or consulates in Copenhagen are responsible for their relations with Greenland and their citizens in Greenland.

Greenland is represented internationally by the embassies and consulates of Denmark, although Greenland has had an independent Representation to the European Union in Brussels since 1992.

Greenland does directly participate in some Nordic organisations which provide membership for dependent territories.

See also

• Greenlandic independence
• Greenlandic self-government referendum, 2008
• Arctic cooperation and politics
• Arctic policy of Denmark

International organization participation

• Nordic Council
• Nordic Investment Bank

External links

Government

• Greenland Home Rule official government website (in English)
• Greenland.com from the Greenland Tourism & Business Council
• Statistics Greenland