Greenlandic self-government referendum, 2008
Encyclopedia
A non-binding referendum on Greenland
's autonomy was held on 25 November 2008. It was passed with 75% approval (63% in Nuuk
) and a 72% turnout. The referendum was announced by Prime Minister Hans Enoksen
on 2 January 2008. Enoksen also announced the launch of an information and discussion campaign on the issue of self-government
. This included town hall meeting
s throughout the country.
colony in 1775 and was made a province of Denmark
in 1953. In 1979, it was made an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark
, with a parliament and local control of health care, schools, and social services. In 1985, it withdrew from the European Economic Community
to maintain control of fishing in its territorial waters. There has been some movement towards independence, encouraged by Denmark but held back by Greenland's need for economic subsidies.
A 2003 report from the Commission on Self-Governance outlined six possibilities for the future of Greenland. These were:
upon the Danish parliament
, the parliament supported it and promised to honour its results.
The proposals were to expand home rule in 30 areas, including police, courts, and the coast guard, give Greenland a say in foreign policy and a more definite split of future oil revenue, and make Greenlandic the sole official language. Under the proposal, Greenland's subsidies from Copenhagen would be phased out. The subsidy is currently 3.5 billion kroner ($588 million) per year, which accounts for about one-third of the island's gross domestic product
of 10.5 billion kroner and almost two-thirds of the total income of the home rule government of 6.1 billion kroner. If enacted, Greenlanders would become a separate people under international law
.
. The Greenlandic government has stated that this is a "major step towards independence". The referendum gives Greenland control of the police force
, coastguard
, and courts. In addition, Greenlandic will become the sole official language once the referendum is enacted, and Danish
will be removed. Oil revenues will be divided differently, as well. The first 75 million kroner
(US$13.1 million) will go to Greenland, and the remaining revenue will be split evenly with Denmark. Greenlanders are also recognized as a separate group of people under international law, and the island will also receive fewer Danish subsidies, which currently account for about 30% of Greenland's GDP.
The result was met with some skepticism by Danish politicians. Per Ørum Jørgensen, who helped negotiate the agreement, said that it may be "30–40 years" before Greenland is ready to take charge of itself. MP Søren Espersen from Dansk Folkeparti
(Danish People's Party) controversially claimed that Greenlanders had been "brainwashed with unprecedented propaganda" and that he believed "huge problems are waiting in the future".
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
's autonomy was held on 25 November 2008. It was passed with 75% approval (63% in Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
) and a 72% turnout. The referendum was announced by Prime Minister Hans Enoksen
Hans Enoksen
Hans Enoksen is a Greenlandic politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Greenland from 2002 to 2009.A Greenlandic monoglot, he has been a member of the Parliament of Greenland since 1995...
on 2 January 2008. Enoksen also announced the launch of an information and discussion campaign on the issue of self-government
Self-governance
Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of organization.It may refer to personal conduct or family units but more commonly refers to larger scale activities, i.e., professions, industry bodies, religions and political units , up to and including autonomous regions and...
. This included town hall meeting
Town hall meeting
A town hall meeting is an American English term given to an informal public meeting. Everybody in a town community is invited to attend, not always to voice their opinions, but to hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest. Attendees rarely voted...
s throughout the country.
Background
Greenland became a DanishDenmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
colony in 1775 and was made a province of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1953. In 1979, it was made an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...
, with a parliament and local control of health care, schools, and social services. In 1985, it withdrew from the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
to maintain control of fishing in its territorial waters. There has been some movement towards independence, encouraged by Denmark but held back by Greenland's need for economic subsidies.
A 2003 report from the Commission on Self-Governance outlined six possibilities for the future of Greenland. These were:
- IndependenceIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
- Union with another country, or otherwise known as a personal unionPersonal unionA personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
with Denmark, similar to the former kingdom of IcelandKingdom of IcelandThe Kingdom of Iceland was a constitutional monarchy lasting from 1 December 1918 until 17 June 1944, when the republic was proclaimed.- Origins in Danish rule :...
(1918–44) - Free associationAssociated stateAn associated state is the minor partner in a formal, free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a nation, for which no other specific term, such as protectorate, is adopted...
, similar to the relationship between PalauPalauPalau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
and the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, or the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to its Dominions such as CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the beginning of the 20th century. - FederationFederationA federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
- Increased self-government for Greenland, beyond what is guaranteed today by the home ruleHome ruleHome rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
. - Complete integration
Proposal
Although the referendum was non-bindingNon-binding resolution
A non-binding resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body that cannot progress into a law. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion....
upon the Danish parliament
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
, the parliament supported it and promised to honour its results.
The proposals were to expand home rule in 30 areas, including police, courts, and the coast guard, give Greenland a say in foreign policy and a more definite split of future oil revenue, and make Greenlandic the sole official language. Under the proposal, Greenland's subsidies from Copenhagen would be phased out. The subsidy is currently 3.5 billion kroner ($588 million) per year, which accounts for about one-third of the island's gross domestic product
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
of 10.5 billion kroner and almost two-thirds of the total income of the home rule government of 6.1 billion kroner. If enacted, Greenlanders would become a separate people under international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
.
Results
The referendum passed and the results took effect on 21 June 2009, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of home ruleHome rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
. The Greenlandic government has stated that this is a "major step towards independence". The referendum gives Greenland control of the police force
Law enforcement in Greenland
Law enforcement in Greenland, a self-governing province of Denmark is provided by a branch of the Rigspolitiet, the Danish national police service. Since 2006, Greenland has constituted one of the 12 police districts of the Rigspolitiet, headed by a commissioner based in Nuuk, the capital of...
, coastguard
Military of Greenland
The government of Greenland does not currently have control of Greenland's military or foreign affairs. The defense of Greenland is the responsibility of Denmark...
, and courts. In addition, Greenlandic will become the sole official language once the referendum is enacted, and Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
will be removed. Oil revenues will be divided differently, as well. The first 75 million kroner
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
(US$13.1 million) will go to Greenland, and the remaining revenue will be split evenly with Denmark. Greenlanders are also recognized as a separate group of people under international law, and the island will also receive fewer Danish subsidies, which currently account for about 30% of Greenland's GDP.
The result was met with some skepticism by Danish politicians. Per Ørum Jørgensen, who helped negotiate the agreement, said that it may be "30–40 years" before Greenland is ready to take charge of itself. MP Søren Espersen from Dansk Folkeparti
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
(Danish People's Party) controversially claimed that Greenlanders had been "brainwashed with unprecedented propaganda" and that he believed "huge problems are waiting in the future".