Greenland’s Parliament banned international and nameless political funding on Tuesday, within the semiautonomous island’s newest response to President Trump’s acknowledged intentions to purchase it. Greenland’s lawmakers fast-tracked the legislation — an effort to guard towards exterior interference — earlier than upcoming parliamentary elections.
The legislation is Greenland’s most aggressive effort but to push again towards Mr. Trump, who refused final month to rule out utilizing navy power to take the island. The legislation doesn’t instantly title 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 state of affairs — the place representatives of an allied nice energy have expressed curiosity in buying and controlling Greenland — the nation is especially weak 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 have been initially shocked and confused by Mr. Trump’s repeated need that america take management of the territory. Donald Trump Jr., Mr. Trump’s son, briefly visited the island final month, which added to the hypothesis.
For america, Greenland sits in a strategic location: The island is dwelling to a big American navy base and, as local weather change melts the Arctic ice, business and naval competitors is rising within the far north. Greenland additionally has huge reserves of uncommon parts and different minerals used to make superior expertise.
“We want it for nationwide safety,” the president has stated.
Greenland has lengthy been tied to Denmark, first as a colony after which as a semiautonomous territory. Since 2009, it has had the correct to declare independence after a referendum, but it surely nonetheless depends on Denmark for its protection, safety and different worldwide affairs.
Greenland’s principally Inuit inhabitants has more and more chafed towards Copenhagen’s oversight. Greenland’s management has flatly and repeatedly rejected Mr. Trump’s advances.
“Greenland is ours,” Mr. Egede stated in a press release 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 stated it could improve its navy spending within the North Atlantic by $2 billion.
The Nordic nation doesn’t wish to set off a commerce warfare with america. After an icy telephone 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 harm management and focus on how to answer Mr. Trump’s intense calls for.
“Trump won’t have Greenland,” stated Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Denmark’s international minister and its prime minister throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period.
Greenland’s Parliament, the Inatsisartut, doesn’t want Denmark’s approval to cross the legislation. Its lawmakers moved exceptionally rapidly — the invoice was solely launched on Saturday.
“Given the present geopolitical state of affairs and the upcoming Inatsisartut election, the necessity for such regulation is taken into account pressing,” the proposal learn.
Different international locations, together with america, limit or ban international political funding. Greenland beforehand didn’t restrict or prohibit such contributions, in keeping with the proposal.
The proposal notes that international powers have tried to affect different democratic elections around the globe in recent times. The authors particularly pointed to the huge quantity of personal political donations in america.
“The initiative is clearly pressing,” stated Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher on the Danish Institute for Worldwide Research.
He stated donations had not beforehand influenced Greenland’s politics and referred to as the legislation “primarily a safety measure.”
Greenland can be attempting to ward towards international pursuits by limiting actual property purchases.
On Monday, lawmakers permitted new laws that might limit land purchases to Danish residents or individuals who have been everlasting residents of Greenland for at the least 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 stated that it’s prepared for enterprise and just lately opened a brand new worldwide airport — however its tourism infrastructure is sparse.
International 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 personal contributions have “constituted an insignificant half” of its political financing, the proposal learn.
“The views of this potential menace are alarming,” it learn. “Donations that might be modest on a global scale can be colossal in a Greenlandic election marketing campaign.”
Political events will now not be allowed to obtain international or nameless contributions. Neither will native and youth branches of events, lawmakers, aides and candidates.
The brand new legislation will even cap the quantity of personal political donations. A political celebration can obtain solely about $28,000 in personal 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 personal donations may weaken public confidence within the integrity of political processes,” the proposal learn.