Greenland's leader steps up push for independence from Denmark

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede emphasised his desire to pursue independence from Denmark, its former colonial ruler, during his New Year speech, marking a significant change in the rhetoric surrounding the Arctic island's future.

Egede's speech, which comes on the heels of comments by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressing his wish for "ownership and control" of Greenland, also expressed a desire to strengthen Greenland's cooperation with other countries.

"It is about time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, also with regard to who we will cooperate closely with, and who our trading partners will be," he said.

An independence movement has gained traction in Greenland in recent years in part due to revelations of misconduct by Danish authorities during the 20th century, including an involuntary birth control campaign launched in the 1960s.

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 but is now a self-governing territory of Denmark and in 2009 achieved the right to claim independence through a vote. In 2023, Greenland's government presented its first draft constitution.

"The history and current conditions have shown that our cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark has not succeeded in creating full equality," Egede said.

"It is now time for our country to take the next step. Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation – which we can describe as the shackles of colonialism – and move forward," he said.

He added that it was up to the people of Greenland to decide on independence but did not say when a vote could be held.

While a majority of Greenland's 57,000 inhabitants support independence, there is division over the timing and potential impact on living standards.

Greenland's government has twice rejected offers by Trump to purchase the island, in 2019 and again last year, with Egede asserting that "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale."

The speech did not mention Trump or the United States. Greenland's capital Nuuk is closer to New York than the Danish capital Copenhagen.

Despite the wealth of mineral, oil, and natural gas resources, Greenland's economy remains fragile, heavily dependent on fishing and annual grants from Denmark.

Greenland is due to hold parliamentary elections before April 6.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Christina Fincher)