A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Greenland's center-right party is a winner in its parliamentary elections. Now it needs to build a government. One of the biggest political topics there is President Trump's comments about the island. He said he wants the U.S. to take control of the territory one way or the other. With us to talk about the results is reporter Adrienne Murray, who's been following along from Copenhagen. So, Adrienne, how did the center-right party pull off this upset?
ADRIENNE MURRAY: Well, winning the most votes and delivering the biggest surprise of the election is the moderate center-right party the Democrats. Until now they've been a small player in parliament, but the party took around 30% of the vote. The Democrats - they favor a slower, more gradual approach to independence from Denmark, which technically controls the island of 56,000 people, even though Greenland has had a self-governing agreement since the late 1970s. The party has put building up the economy first before severing ties. Greenland's economy is driven by fishing, and it still relies on annual subsidies from Denmark.
It's also been a strong election night for Naleraq, the Greenlandic party seeking the fastest breakup with Denmark and deeper defense ties with Washington. And that seals what's been a really bruising night for the current coalition government.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, how much of what Donald Trump has said about Greenland maybe affected this election?
MURRAY: Well, one newspaper editor said the independence debate has been put on steroids by Trump. It's understood Greenland has caught Trump's eye because of its strategic location and mineral resources. Since taking office again in January, Trump has repeated again and again his intention to acquire the territory, and even though Greenland and Denmark's leaders have said that Greenland is not for sale.
Now, that's perhaps indirectly helped amplify some of those pro-independence voices, but earlier polls also showed that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to join the United States. This continued rhetoric from Trump, I'm told, has begun to scare some people who had begun to worry that becoming independent so quickly might also make the country more vulnerable.
MARTÍNEZ: So what does the results and everything we've talked about - what does that tell us about Greenland's future?
MURRAY: Well, this election has been seen as one of the most pivotal for the Arctic territory's future. Five of the six parties on the ballot had favored breaking away from Denmark but offered different paths and speeds. Earlier polls have shown that around 80% of Greenlanders back moves towards future statehood. And overall, in this election, most votes have gone to parties that want to take more gradual steps. Though the Democrats have won the most votes, they're still short of the seats needed for a majority in parliament and will now enter talks with the other parties to form a new government.
MARTÍNEZ: And speaking of Denmark, where does this leave them?
MURRAY: Well, never has an election in Greenland been so closely followed in Denmark, and there's been - it comes amid intense geopolitical pressure from the United States. Denmark's prime minister has said Greenland's future is to be decided, though, by the Greenlandic people. Meanwhile, a string of revelations about past mistreatment of Inuit people has damaged relations between Greenland and Denmark.
And I think there'll be now a big collective sigh of relief that most Greenlanders haven't voted for a swift divorce. Experts suggest, though, that the process could take several years and that Greenland is unlikely to see independence before Donald Trump's second term comes to an end.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. That's Adrienne Murray in Copenhagen. Thank you very much.
MURRAY: Thank you.
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