The "Crown" in Nuuk

Fish for votes: This is how bizarre the Greenlandic election is

Mrs. Jördis wears fur and votes for Prime Minister Egede, whom we also met briefly.

(Bild: Brandl Gregor)

Election day in Greenland - and it's very different from our latitudes. The Inuit population is treated to party songs until just before they cast their votes. The candidates offer small bribes in the form of coolies and sandwiches - and grilled fish.

After blizzards that turned every step into a feat of strength, minus 15 degrees Celsius and acute black ice at the weekend, the Arctic weather showed its best side on Tuesday. The snowdrifts that have piled up over the past few days are melting away in fast motion at slightly above-zero temperatures. Not a single cloud clouds the polar sky, the sun makes the drifting icebergs in the fjord shine in that glacier blue that you usually only see in brochures. The turnout is likely to be correspondingly high.

Candidate Oliver Bech (Social Democrats) is interviewed, the crowd outside the polling station.

(Bild: Brandl Gregor)

What is at stake in the election, which was preceded by a veritable secret service thriller? Nothing less than the right to self-determination for the world's largest island, which officially belongs to Denmark but was recently claimed by Donald Trump. No wonder, given its location between the nuclear powers of Russia and the USA, Greenland is of the highest geopolitical interest, and the presence of huge reserves of mineral resources such as gold, zinc and rare earths contributes to this.

"A few months ago," says a pensioner in Prada glasses, "no one would have found Greenland on the map, but now we are the center of global interest. That should be good for us. After all, we have a lot to offer. But we finally want our independence!"

A few months ago no one would have found Greenland on the map, now we are at the center of global interest. That should be good for us. We want independence - from Denmark and the United States!

Pensionistin Anneliese vor der Stimmabgabe zur „Krone“

There is also broad agreement among the parties on this. However, Prime Minister Múte Inequnaaluk Bourup Egede's ruling left-wing party, Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), does not want to rush things and wants to maintain close relations with Denmark. Siumut's Social Democrats are currently the Chancellor's smaller coalition partner. They have recently made a political U-turn and now want to push through an independence referendum in the coming legislative period. This could bring them an increase in votes.

The nationalists from Naleraq would like to break with Copenhagen sooner rather than later and are also likely to make gains. They are considered comparatively America-friendly and could also envisage a defense treaty with the USA. However, they do not want to see themselves as a colony of Trump either.

Man of the hour: Prime Minister Edege (right) with "Krone" reporter Gregor Brandl

(Bild: Brandl Gregor)

Prime Minister Egede on a poster directly in front of the voting booth

(Bild: Gregor Brandl)

An unofficial election day poll suggests that Egege's party is likely to retain first place despite losses. He is young, pragmatic - and the majority of the population knows that the country would go down the glacial creek without support from Denmark. The head of government recently made up for lost ground with a fiery speech at the televised confrontation at the local grammar school - the "Krone" was there. In times of crisis, people usually rally behind the head of government. The fact that he regularly appears on CNN and Fox News shouldn't do him any harm either.  

In the only pub in Nuuk
Media hype is one of those things here anyway. In normal times, regional elections north of the Arctic Circle don't lure anyone out of their igloo. Since Trump's annexation announcements, everything has changed. Reporters from the major US networks have traveled here, as have the international news agencies Reuters and AP. An estimated 100 journalists are currently on site. During the day, TV colleagues compete for the best camera positions and the most interesting interview partners. In the evenings, they meet up in Nuuk's only pub, "Daddys", for a beer or two and let the good Lord be a good man. That too is the Arctic ...

Activist from the Naleraq list hands out sandwiches to the undecided.

(Bild: Gregor Brandl)

Meanwhile, the queues of people on the steep and still white Kissarneqqortuunnguaq path are getting longer and longer. There are two polling stations in this suburb of Nuuk: one is in the Godthåbhalle, which is used as a training center by the local ice hockey club, and the other is in the green-painted wooden church, which has now been converted into a local history museum. Between the two, the parties have set up offshore containers from which music can be heard and sandwiches or grilled fish are offered. The way to the heart is through the stomach ...

Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.

Premierminister Egede von der Liste IA hofft auf Wiederwahl.

First results arrive by dog sled
Before the first polling stations close, Prime Minister Egede appears in person. He wears a Goretex overall in the chimney red party color, hugs IA fans and wants to drive the last undecided people to the polls. He also takes a moment for the "Krone". He poses for a photo and is optimistic about the outcome, while his assistants provide him with initial results from remote Eskimo enclaves, some of which have to be delivered by dog sled because there are no roads between the towns.

However, valid data will probably only be available after midnight Austrian time, when the first projections from the capital Nuuk are also received. So it remains exciting in the Arctic!