In recent years, Greenland has found itself in the spotlight of global politics. Stuck in the middle of this is a people and their desire for independence. With lingering economic struggles and powers grasping for influence in the region, it becomes hard to imagine a truly independent state.
The idea of independence is supported by a majority of Greenland’s population and is advocated by almost all of the country’s political parties. But is it realistic? The main concern when it comes to Greenlandic independence is the economical aspect. Currently, about half of Greenlands public spending comes from outside the island. A large chunk of that is the so-called “block grant” from Denmark, amounting to circa €535 million, every year.
When asking Greenlanders about whether they would vote for independence, there is often a follow-up question. Would you vote for it if it meant a decrease in living standards? A minority say they would, but a majority also thinks Denmark should continue to support Greenland financially, if they became independent.
Moves toward political independence and self-determination have been taken before. When Denmark joined the EU in 1973 (at the time EEC) Greenland came in as part of the deal. But after a vote on the matter in 1982, a majority of the Greenlandic population wanted out, mostly for self-governance on questions like fishing and control of water territories. The Greenlandic government has the option to take over the jurisdiction on major political questions. So far, they have taken only three, being on raw material, offshore work environment and time (such as daylight savings).
At the same time, significant domestic challenges remain unresolved. For instance, Greenland suffers from a classic case of “brain drain”, where a large number of young people go to get a higher education in Denmark and many don’t return to work in Greenland, preferring Denmark for its job opportunities and more diverse way of life.
While the economic concerns are very real, it has also become hard to ignore how a Greenlandic move towards independence would be met, and possibly used, by foreign powers. In May 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S intelligence agencies were planning to step up their surveillance of the island. This move was said to be a step towards taking over the territory. The Danish state media even reports that there are attempts to build up a network of pro-American Greenlanders on site, including politicians and business officials.
Someone who has gained prominence in recent years is Jørgen Boassen, a Greenlandic political activist who has voiced his support of the Trump administration. When late right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump Jr visited the island in 2025, Boassen was their tour guide. He made sure the Americans were met by a crowd wearing “MAGA” hats. Boassen also goes on political trips financed by what he calls “some rich Americans and Christians”, but he didn’t want to name specific groups.
While most Greenlandic parties advocate for pro-independence in the distant future, others want it immediately. Recently, a new political party, Qulleq, whose main concern is gaining independence as soon as possible, has gained traction. The founder, Karl Ingemann, predicts that there would be a “dip” for the country if they became independent, but that they would get back up quickly. He calls for business development measures better suited for Greenland, such as allowing rare earth sourcing. He also says there are a lot of international organisations and countries that would be ready to help Greenland on their way to independence. Whilst they gained enough signatures to register prior to the elections last year, they did not gain any seats in parliament.
Another party advocating for quickly gaining independence that has seen more success is Naleraq. They doubled their seats in parliament in last year’s election, becoming the second largest party. Demokraatit, a centre-right party advocating for gradual independence, also tripled their seats in parliament. The election results showed a clear tilt to the right from the Greenlandic electorate, although this wasn’t fully reflected in the coalition that was built afterwards.
Overall, the crisis triggered by Trump has seemingly brought Greenland closer into the hands of Denmark. As the Greenlandic prime minister said in a press conference with his Danish counterpart last year: “…if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,”. While the world’s power politics play out in the Arctic, a small population will be left to navigate their own interests and try to make the dream of independence a reality. As long as the ownership of Greenland remains such a political hot fuse, it is unclear how ready Greenlanders will be to take active moves towards independence and how willing Europe is to give it up.
By Nicolai Wetlesen
April 2, 2026
