Pro-independence Demokraatit Party wins significant election in Greenland

Pro-independence Demokraatit Party (the Democrats) won most of the votes in Greenland elections, upsetting the ruling parties.

Naleraq (Point of Orientation) Party, also pro-independence, came second after ballots were counted in all 72 polling stations.

Demokraatit received 30.3% of the votes with a slightly more than 20% increase and Naleraq 24.8% with a rise of 12.5% from the previous election.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit, will form the new government with Naleraq.

The coalition parties Inuit Ataqatikiit and Siumut had a vote of 21.6% and 14.9% with a more than 30% drop in their collective votes in previous election. Inuit Ataqatigiit, led by Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede, fell to third place with those results.

Both Demokraatit and Naleraq are in favor of independence from Denmark but have a different approach to when the country should hold an independence vote.

Together, Demokraatit and Neralaq now control 18 of the 31 seats in the Inatsisartut, the parliament of Arctic island that is a self-governing territory of Denmark.

Amid US President Donald Trump's calls, independence had been high on the political agenda ahead of the polls, with all four of these parties supporting the idea, though they disagree on the timing. While Demokraatit argues for a measured transition, Naleraq is the most aggressively pro-independence.