The Naalakkersuisut (English: Cabinet of Greenland, Danish: Grønlands Regering) is the chief executive body and the government of Greenland since the island became self-governing in 1979. An autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is a parliamentary representative democratic territory, in which the premier (Naalakkersuisut Siulittaasuat) leads the cabinet, and of a multi-party system.
There are currently 10 members of the Cabinet,[1] known as "Ministers" (Naalakkersuisut), all of whom are also heads of specific government ministries. The ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister. The Greenlandic government currently consists of 10 ministers including the Prime Minister.[2]
Executive power
editExecutive power rests with a high commissioner, and a prime minister heads the Cabinet. The high commissioner of Greenland since 2011 is appointed by the monarch (King Frederik X), and the prime minister is elected indirectly by parliament elections results for four-year terms.
Current cabinet
editThe Naalakkersuisut is divided into a number of areas of responsibility each led by a Naalakkersuisoq (English: Minister) with powers corresponding to that of a minister or secretary of government. The cabinet is based on a coalition in the Inatsisartut of the parties Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq with the support of Atassut. Since 23 April 2021, the current composition of the Naalakkersuisut is as follows:[3]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Premier's Office | |||||||||
| Premier of Greenland | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | ||||||
| Minister for Finance and Domestic Affairs | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | ||||||
| Minister for Housing, Infrastructure, Minerals and Gender Equality | 23 April 2021 | 7 August 2021 | Inuit Ataqatigiit | ||||||
| Minister for Housing, Infrastructure, Minerals, Justice and Gender Equality | 7 August 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | [4] | |||||
| Minister for Education, Culture, Sports and Church | Peter P. Olsen | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | |||||
| Minister for Fisheries and Hunting | 25 September 2023 | Incumbent | Siumut | ||||||
| Minister for Agriculture, Self-Sufficiency, Energy and Environment | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | ||||||
| Minister for Health | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Naleraq | ||||||
| Minister for Social Affairs and Labour | 23 April 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | ||||||
| Minister for Children, Youth, Families and Justice | Eqaluk Høegh | 23 April 2021 | 7 August 2021 | Inuit Ataqatigiit | [4] | ||||
| Minister for Children, Youth and Families | Eqaluk Høegh | 7 August 2021 | 27 August 2021 | Inuit Ataqatigiit | [5] | ||||
| 27 August 2021 | 27 September 2021 | Inuit Ataqatigiit | [6] | ||||||
| 27 September 2021 | Incumbent | Naleraq | [6] | ||||||
| Minister for Industry, Trade, Foreign Affairs and Climate | 23 April 2021 | 27 September 2021 | Naleraq | [6] | |||||
| Minister for Foreign Affairs and Climate | 27 September 2021 | Incumbent | Inuit Ataqatigiit | [6] | |||||
| Minister for Industry and Trade | 27 September 2021 | Incumbent | Naleraq | [6] | |||||
Legislative power
editLegislative power is shared by the government and the legislature. The legislature or Self-rule of Greenland (Greenlandic: Namminersorlutik Oqartussat, Danish: Selvstyre) is made up of 31 members in the Inatsisartut elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms.
The current composition is shown below:
 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– | |
| Inuit Ataqatigiit | 9,912 | 37.42 | +11.64 | 12 | +4 | |
| Siumut | 7,971 | 30.10 | +2.66 | 10 | +1 | |
| Naleraq | 3,249 | 12.27 | –1.28 | 4 | 0 | |
| Democrats | 2,452 | 9.26 | –10.43 | 3 | –3 | |
| Atassut | 1,879 | 7.09 | +1.13 | 2 | 0 | |
| Nunatta Qitornai | 639 | 2.41 | –1.04 | 0 | –1 | |
| Cooperation Party | 375 | 1.42 | –2.69 | 0 | –1 | |
| Independent | 9 | 0.03 | New | 0 | New | |
| Total | 26,486 | 100.00 | – | 31 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 26,486 | 97.81 | ||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 593 | 2.19 | ||||
| Total votes | 27,079 | 100.00 | ||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 41,126 | 65.84 | –6.02 | |||
| Source: Qinersineq.gl | ||||||
Judicial power
editThe judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Greenland has full autonomy on most matters, except on policies and decisions affecting the region including negotiations with the devolved legislatures and the Kingdom Parliament Folketing. Greenland's judicial system has mainly been derived from the Danish civil law system. It has one court of first instance: the Court of Greenland, and an appeal court the High Court of Greenland. No appeal is possible to decisions of the Joint Court of Justice, but fundamental "questions of law" may be submitted to the Østre Landsret and the Supreme Court of Denmark in cassation. Verdicts by those institutions may lead to a new decision of the Joint Court, taking into account the results of the cassation.
History
editNaalakkersuisut 2013
editParliamentary elections were held on March 12, 2013, and Aleqa Hammond, leader of the Siumut party, was designated as prime minister by a coalition of the parties Siumut, Partii Inuit, and Atassut.
Naalakkersuisut 2014
editParliamentary elections were held on 28 November 2014 and Kim Kielsen, leader of the Siumut party, was designated as prime minister by a coalition of the parties Siumut, Democrats, and Atassut. The coalition was formed on 4 December 2014, Siumut has five ministers, Democrats 2 and Attasut 2.[7][8]
Naalakkersuisut 2016
editIn late October 2016, the current government coalition was changed to consist of the parties Siumut (S), Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), and Partii Naleraq (PN).[9][10] The composition of the Naalakkersuisut was as follows:
| Name | Party | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Kielsen | Siumut | Premier, Minister for Domestic Affairs | |
| Vittus Qujaukitsoq | Siumut | Minister for Industry, Labour, Trade, Energy, and Foreign Affairs | |
| Martha Lund Olsen | Siumut | Minister for Municipalities Settlements, Infrastructure and Housing | |
| Doris Jakobsen | Siumut | Minister for Education, Culture, Research and Church Affairs | |
| Suka K. Frederiksen | Siumut | Minister for Independence, Environment and Nature and Agriculture | |
| Aqqaluaq B. Egede | Inuit Ataqatigiit | Minister for Finance and Taxes | |
| Sara Olsvig | Inuit Ataqatigiit | Minister for Family, Gender Equality, Social Affairs, and Justice | |
| Agathe Fontain | Inuit Ataqatigiit | Minister for Health and Nordic Cooperation | |
| Múte Bourup Egede | Inuit Ataqatigiit | Minister for Minerals | |
| Hans Enoksen | Partii Naleraq | Minister for Hunting and Fishing | |
References
edit- ^ naalakkersuisut.gl, The Ministries
- ^ "naalakkersuisut.gl, Members of the Cabinet". Retrieved 2021-04-11.
- ^ Kristensen, Kassaaluk (16 April 2021). "Her er Mútes Naalakkersuisut". Sermitsiaq (in Danish).
- ^ a b Cirkulære om fordeling af anliggender (Ressortfordelingen) (PDF) (in Danish), Naalakkersuisut, 6 August 2021
- ^ Eqaluk Høegh udtræder som Naalakkersuisoq (in Danish), Naalakkersuisut, 27 August 2021, retrieved 27 September 2021
- ^ a b c d e Pele Broberg er ikke længere naalakkersuisoq for udenrigsanliggender (in Danish), KNR, 27 September 2021, retrieved 27 September 2021
- ^ knr.gl - Koalition mellem Siumut, Demokraterne og Atassut
- ^ sermitsiaq.ag - Siumut, Atassut og Demokraterne danner koalition
- ^ Hansen, Nukappiaaluk (27 October 2016). "Her er de nye medlemmer af Naalakkersuisut". Sermitsiaq.ag (in Danish). Retrieved 12 January 2017.
- ^ Uldum, Simon (27 October 2016). "Her er det nye Naalakkersuisut". KNR.gl (in Danish). Retrieved 12 January 2017.