Greenland elects two new representatives to Danish parliament
Greenland has chosen two new members for Denmark’s Folketing, following Tuesday’s general election, reports Danish broadcaster DR. Qarsoq Høegh-Dam of Naleraq and Naaja Nathanielsen from Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) secured the territory’s seats after votes from Nuuk, Greenland’s largest polling station, were counted overnight.
Inuit Ataqatigiit emerged as the election’s winner with 28.6 percent of the vote, while Naleraq took second place with 24.6 percent. The result marks the first time Naleraq has independently won a Folketing seat.
From political setback to top candidate
Qarsoq Høegh-Dam, whose first name is pronounced Rar-Sok, became the election’s biggest vote-getter, receiving 4,619 personal votes. Speaking to DR, he emphasised his role as a representative for all Greenlanders: “I have been elected as a representative for the entire Greenlandic people.”
Høegh-Dam follows in the footsteps of his half-sister, Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, who served in the Folketing from 2019 to 2023 before transitioning to Greenland’s parliament, Inatsisartut. His political career nearly ended in 2021 after a past conviction for hashish possession surfaced during a parliamentary election, forcing his withdrawal as a Siumut candidate. Now, his comeback is complete.
A vocal critic of Denmark’s military expansion in Nuuk, including plans for a new Arctic Command headquarters, Høegh-Dam has also campaigned for improved conditions in Greenlandic prisons and policing—areas currently under Danish state responsibility. “The Danish areas of responsibility must meet proper standards, and it seems we can work across parties on this,” he said.
Naaja Nathanielsen replaces Aaja Chemnitz
Naaja Nathanielsen of Inuit Ataqatigiit will take over from her party colleague Aaja Chemnitz, who did not seek re-election after 11 years in the Folketing. Nathanielsen, currently Greenland’s minister for raw materials, business, energy, equality, and justice, secured 1,953 personal votes—enough to claim IA’s seat despite strong competition.
The election proved disappointing for Health Minister Anna Wangenheim of Demokraatit, who, despite finishing second in personal votes (2,358), failed to win a seat after her party placed third overall with 17.6 percent. “We’re just so happy to have fought our way back to becoming the largest party,” Nathanielsen told DR at IA’s election event in Nuuk.
Record turnout, historic shift
Voter participation reached 52.3 percent—the highest in 15 years for a Folketing election in Greenland—though still below half the electorate. The result also marks a historic low for Siumut, Greenland’s long-dominant social democratic party, which failed to win a Folketing seat for the first time ever.
Top vote-getters in Greenland
1. Qarsoq Høegh-Dam (Naleraq) – 4,619 votes
2. Anna Wangenheim (Demokraatit) – 2,358 votes
3. Naaja Nathanielsen (Inuit Ataqatigiit) – 1,953 votes
4. Ellen Schärfe (Atassut) – 1,553 votes
5. Ineqi Kielsen (Siumut) – 1,142 votes