Greenland’s Parliament banned overseas and nameless political funding on Tuesday, within the semiautonomous island’s newest response to President Trump’s said intentions to purchase it. Greenland’s lawmakers fast-tracked the legislation — an effort to guard in opposition to exterior interference — earlier than upcoming parliamentary elections.
The legislation is Greenland’s most aggressive effort but to push again in opposition to Mr. Trump, who refused final month to rule out utilizing army pressure to take the island. The legislation doesn’t straight identify him as a possible marketing campaign contributor, however a proposal that laid out the legislation and its rationale made clear that his insistence impressed its authors.
“Given the geopolitical curiosity in Greenland and the present scenario — the place representatives of an allied nice energy have expressed curiosity in buying and controlling Greenland — the nation is especially susceptible to makes an attempt to affect its elections and political decision-making processes,” the proposal learn.
The legislation was billed as an effort “to safeguard Greenland’s political integrity” within the proposal. Mute B. Egede, Greenland’s premier, proposed holding parliamentary elections on March 11.
Greenlanders had been initially shocked and confused by Mr. Trump’s repeated want that the US take management of the territory. Donald Trump Jr., Mr. Trump’s son, briefly visited the island final month, which added to the hypothesis.
For the US, Greenland sits in a strategic location: The island is dwelling to an American army base and, as local weather change melts the Arctic ice, industrial and naval competitors is rising within the far north. Greenland additionally has monumental reserves of uncommon parts and different minerals used to make superior know-how.
“We’d like it for nationwide safety,” the president has mentioned.
Greenland has lengthy been tied to Denmark, first as a colony after which as a semiautonomous territory. Since 2009, it has had the suitable to declare independence after a referendum, nevertheless it nonetheless depends on Denmark for its protection, safety and different worldwide affairs.
Greenland’s principally Inuit inhabitants has more and more chafed in opposition to Copenhagen’s oversight. Greenland’s management has flatly and repeatedly rejected Mr. Trump’s advances.
“Greenland is ours,” Mr. Egede mentioned in an announcement late final yr, as Mr. Trump eyed the island. “We aren’t on the market and can by no means be on the market.”
Denmark, too, has been rattled: Final week, it mentioned it will enhance its army spending within the North Atlantic by $2 billion.
The Nordic nation doesn’t need to set off a commerce warfare with the US. After an icy cellphone name with Mr. Trump, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark traveled throughout Europe final week to satisfy with European and NATO leaders to extend assist, do injury management and talk about how to answer Mr. Trump’s intense calls for.
“Trump is not going to have Greenland,” mentioned Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Denmark’s overseas minister and its prime minister throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period.
Greenland’s Parliament, the Inatsisartut, doesn’t want Denmark’s approval to go the legislation. Its lawmakers moved exceptionally rapidly — the invoice was solely launched on Saturday.
“Given the present geopolitical scenario and the upcoming Inatsisartut election, the necessity for such regulation is taken into account pressing,” the proposal learn.
Different international locations, together with the US, prohibit or ban overseas political funding. Greenland beforehand didn’t restrict or prohibit such contributions, in response to the proposal.
The proposal notes that overseas powers have tried to affect different democratic elections around the globe in recent times. The authors particularly pointed to the monumental quantity of non-public political donations in the US.
“The initiative is clearly pressing,” mentioned Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher on the Danish Institute for Worldwide Research.
He mentioned donations had not beforehand influenced Greenland’s politics and known as the legislation “primarily a safety measure.”
Greenland can be making an attempt to ward in opposition to overseas pursuits by limiting actual property purchases.
On Monday, lawmakers accredited new rules that may prohibit land purchases to Danish residents or individuals who have been everlasting residents of Greenland for no less than two years. The principles are anticipated to take impact later this yr.
Greenland has about 56,000 residents and is usually lined in ice. It’s opening as much as the world — it has mentioned that it’s prepared for enterprise and lately opened a brand new worldwide airport — however its tourism infrastructure is sparse.
Overseas marketing campaign contributions — even these seen as tiny by American requirements — may drastically change Greenland’s political construction: Events have been principally financed by public subsidies, whereas non-public contributions have “constituted an insignificant half” of its political financing, the proposal learn.
“The views of this potential risk are alarming,” it learn. “Donations that may be modest on a global scale can be colossal in a Greenlandic election marketing campaign.”
Political events will now not be allowed to obtain overseas or nameless contributions. Neither will native and youth branches of events, lawmakers, aides and candidates.
The brand new legislation may even cap the quantity of personal political donations. A political celebration can obtain solely about $28,000 in non-public donations a yr. Particular person donors can solely give about $2,800. The legislation additionally strengthens and broadens disclosure necessities, amongst different concerns.
“Disproportionately giant non-public donations may weaken public confidence within the integrity of political processes,” the proposal learn.
