Coalition collapse sends Greenlanders back to the polls

Greenland’s Premier Hans Enoksen called an election last Thursday, after the Siumut Party was unable to come to terms with its coalition partner, the Inuit Ataqatigiit Party.

Elections will take place on Nov. 22 for the 31-member parliament.

Enoksen said he had to call the election because there was no agreement on a new child benefit program, one of Siumut’s key political goals. He said this meant that the two parties could no longer work together.

But the split between Enoksen and the Inuit Ataqatigiit has its roots in a scandal involving the ministers for fisheries and hunting, and for housing and infrastructure. Both ministers resigned over the summer after allegations that they used government funds for personal expenses, including booze and dinners.

Josef Motzfeldt, IA president, said he was pleased with the decision to call an election.

“Our governing partner, Siumut, is confused about what they want to do with budget negotiations. IA is going to campaign on a platform that we need to stick to what we have obtained. That includes the economy, where we’ve strengthened commercial development,” Motzfeldt said.

The IA wants to promote a better-developed Greenland with looser ties to Denmark.

“The party’s central themes in the campaign will include the process towards Greenlandic autonomy as well as better education and a privatization of home rule-owned firms,” said Motzfeldt.

Enoksen, who looked tired and relieved when he announced that there would be an election, said he wouldn’t talk about whether he would run again.

Enoksen first became premier in December 13, 2002, elections. His first cabinet only survived two months, but he was re-elected as government head in January 2003 elections.

Other well-known Siumut politicians, like Doris Jakobsen, Jørgen Wæver Johansen and Motzfeldt, have announced they’re ready to run for the coming election.

The former minister for traffic, housing and infrastructure, Jens Napaatooq, who was accused of misusing expense accounts, is also ready to run in the upcoming election.