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Politics of Greenland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Greenland |
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Politics of Greenland takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Danish dependency, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform 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 Landsting). The party system is dominated by the social democratic Forward, the separatist and socialist Inuit Community and the conservative liberal Feeling of Community. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
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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 Landsstyre.
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen | Margaret II of Denmark | 14 January 1972 | |
| High Commissioner | Gunnar Martens | 1995 | |
| Prime Minister | Hans Enoksen | Forward | 14 December 2002 |
| Other government party | Inuit Community |
Greenland has a unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms). Two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing at the last Danish elections, Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1.
| Parties | Votes 2005 |
% 2005 | Seats 2005 | % 2002 | Seats 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward (Siumut) | 8855 | 30,7 | 10 | 28,5 | 10 |
| Democrats (Demokraatit) | 6596 | 22,8 | 7 | 15,9 | 5 |
| Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) | 6517 | 22,6 | 7 | 25,3 | 8 |
| Feeling of Community (Atassut) | 5527 | 19,1 | 6 | 20,2 | 7 |
| Independents (Kattusseqatigiit) | 1170 | 4,1 | 1 | 5,3 | 1 |
| Others | 216 | 0,8 | - | 4,8 | - |
| Total, Turnout 74,9% (2002: 74,6%) | 31 | 31 | |||
| Source: Namminersornerullutik Oqartussat | |||||
High Court or Landsret.
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Danish: Nordgrønland), Tunu (Danish: Østgrønland), Kitaa (Danish: Vestgrønland)
With Denmark having responsibility for Greenland's international affairs, other countries do not have direct diplomatic representation in Greenland -- their embassies or consulates in Denmark 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 does directly participate in some Nordic organisations which provide membership for dependent territories.