Grønland’s political candidates unite in demanding Danish investment in healthcare

All 27 candidates running for Greenland’s two seats in the Danish parliament agree that Denmark must increase funding to strengthen the territory’s struggling healthcare system, reports DR.

With Greenland’s parliamentary election set for Tuesday, candidates from across the political spectrum—including incumbent Health Minister Anna Wangenheim (Demokraatit) and former Premier Kuupik Kleist (IA)—are calling for greater financial support from Copenhagen. The demands focus on improving education, healthcare, and living standards in Greenland, where staff shortages and infrastructure gaps have left the system under severe strain.

“Now we’re presenting demands on how to achieve greater equality—on education, on healthcare, and on our standard of living in Greenland,” Wangenheim told DR. The healthcare sector, formally under Greenlandic control since 1992, has faced persistent challenges in retaining nurses and doctors, a crisis underscored last month when former US President Donald Trump announced plans to send a hospital ship to the territory.

Kleist, who led Greenland’s government during the 2009 introduction of self-rule, acknowledged the irony of seeking additional Danish funds but argued the current system is failing. “Yes, it’s a kind of admission of failure for self-rule. But it’s not working today, and it has to work,” he said. “So many people are leaving for Denmark and other countries because of this—we can’t allow that.”

Denmark already covers some costs for Greenlandic patients treated in Danish hospitals under a recent agreement, but candidates like Qarsoq Høegh-Dam (Naleraq) argue the measures fall short. “Steps have been taken in the right direction, but there’s still unequal treatment,” Høegh-Dam said, citing travel expenses and limited hospital choices for patients referred to Denmark.

While candidates broadly support targeted investments, most oppose increasing Greenland’s fixed block grant—a core element of the 2009 self-rule agreement—fearing it could undermine long-term economic independence. “If we secure other investments, we can negotiate a corresponding reduction in the block grant,” Wangenheim said. “It shouldn’t become a crutch; we must strengthen our self-determination.”

Beyond healthcare, candidates are pushing for reforms to legal protections for Greenlanders in Denmark, following high-profile cases of forced child removals by Danish municipalities. “Legal security is lacking because we’re Danish citizens on paper, with no protection as an Indigenous people,” said Aka Hansen (Siumut). Candidates also demand improvements to Greenland’s justice system, where case processing times often exceed Danish standards.