Government and Politics

Government and Politics of Greenland

Government structure, leadership, capital, military, and national symbols of Greenland.

Government Structure

Constitutional foundations, branches, parties, and leadership.

Government Type: parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Administrative Divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
Legal System: Danish
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship: See Denmark
Executive Branch: chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Julie Praest WILCHE (since 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Mute B. EGEDE (since 23 April 2021) cabinet: Naalakkersuisut (Government of Greenland) is appointed by the prime minister and is accountable to the parliament (Inatsisartut) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by the Inatsisartut (usually the leader of the majority party or coalition); election last held on 6 April 2021 election results: Mute B. EGEDE elected prime minister following his party's victory in the April 2021 parliamentary election note: government coalition led by Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA); Greenland exercises self-rule under the 2009 Act on Greenland Self-Government, granting broad autonomy from Denmark while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark
Legislative Branch: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 6 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit 36.6%, Siumut 29.4%, Naleraq 12.4%, Demokraatit 9.8%, Atassut 7.6%, other 4.2%; seats by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit 12, Siumut 10, Naleraq 4, Demokraatit 3, Atassut 2 note: two representatives are elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Judicial Branch: High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Political Parties: Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Finn KARLSEN]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]
Head of State: King FREDERIK X of Denmark, represented by High Commissioner Julie Praest WILCHE
Head of Government: Prime Minister Mute B. EGEDE
Cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
Elections: last held on 6 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit 36.6%, Siumut 29.4%, Naleraq 12.4%, Demokraatit 9.8%, Atassut 7.6%, other 4.2%; seats by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit 12, Siumut 10, Naleraq 4, Demokraatit 3, Atassut 2 note: two representatives are elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
National Holiday: June 21 (longest day)
International Organization Participation: NC, NIB
Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
U.S. Diplomatic Representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Capital City

Seat of government and political history.

Capital City: Nuuk (Godthaab)
Location: 64 11 N, 51 45 W
Time Difference: UTC-2 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) Time zone note: Greenland has four time zones
History: "Nuuk" is the Inuit word for "cape" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord

Military

Branches, service obligations, expenditures, and manpower.

Military Branches: No regular military forces

National Symbols

Flag, anthem, and other symbols of national identity.

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

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