Atassut

Atassut
Abbreviation	A
Leader	Aqqalu Jerimiassen
Founded	29 April 1978
Headquarters	Nuuk, Greenland
Youth wing	Atassutip Inuusuttai (Atassut Youth)
Ideology	Liberal conservatism [1] Conservative liberalism [2] Danish unionism [2]
Political position	Centre-right [3]
National affiliation	Venstre
Nordic affiliation	Centre Group
Colours	Verdigris [a]   Blue [b]
Inatsisartut	2 / 31
Municipalities	6 / 81
Folketing (Greenland seats)	0 / 2
Election symbol
Website
www.atassut.gl
Politics of Greenland Political parties Elections

Atassut (English: Cohesion/Link/Togetherness/Solidarity, also referred to as Feeling of Community) ^[4] is a liberal-conservative ^[1] and unionist ^[2] political party in Greenland. Founded on 29 April 1978, ^{[5] [6]} Atassut is an established partner of Venstre. ^[7]

History

Party logo until December 2024

Atassut was established in late 1976 as a political movement of conservative and unionist forces in Greenland to oppose Siumut with Lars Chemnitz as its leading figure; ^[7] however, it soon became more liberal.

Its first programme from January 1977 stated that its purpose was to "promote Greenlandic home rule within the Unity of the Realm" and "work against secession from the Danish realm."

Atassut was founded as a political party on 29 April 1978. ^[7] The party's name literally translates as "link" (in the context of being linked with Denmark as part of the Danish realm), but can also refer to a roof which binds a house together.

Previously one of the two largest and most influential political parties in Greenland, the Atassut has seen its share of the popular vote consistently decline since the mid-1990s.

In the 2001 Folketing election, the party lost its only representative and has never regained a seat in the Danish parliament.

In the June 2009 snap election, the party dropped to 10.9% of the vote, and lost three of its six seats. In the following election in 2013 the party was reduced to two seats, which they maintained in the 2014 elections despite fewer votes. Both MPs later defected to Siumut, one of whom was its chairman Knud Kristiansen. ^[8]

From the 2014 parliamentary election to 2016, Atassut was a part of a coalition government, led by Kim Kielsen from Siumut, that also including the Inuit Ataqatigiit.

In debate of refugees in Greenland in 2017, Atassut and Atassut Youths have been strong on not accepting refugees in to Greenland, where Inuit Ataqatigiit and Siumut want to take in refugees. ^{[9] [10]}

In the 2018 general election, Atassut gained two seats in the Inatsisartut despite having no incumbents after both their MPs had defected to Siumut. In the 2021 election, Atassut retained its two seats. ^[11] Following the election, Atassut offered external support to the governing coalition formed by the Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq parties. ^[12]

Ideology

Atassut has been referred to as liberal, ^{[13] [14]} conservative, ^{[15] [16]} and liberal-conservative. ^{[1] [12]} The party supports privatisation of public industries, a form of citizen's income, NATO co-operation, and Greenlandic affiliation with the European Union. ^[7]

The party was previously opposed to Greenlandic home rule; ^[17] Atassut later shifted to supporting home rule and autonomy, but without leaving the unity of the Realm. ^[18] The party has moved from a traditional right-wing position towards later supporting the subsidisation of primary-sector business, alongside the centre-left Siumut party. ^[17]

Election results

Inatsisartut

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1979	7,688	41.7	8 / 21	New	2nd	Opposition
1983	11,443	46.6	12 / 26	4	1st	Opposition
1984	9,873	43.8	11 / 25	1	2nd	Opposition
1987	10,044	40.1	11 / 27		1st	Opposition (1987–1988)
						External support (1988–1991)
1991	7,536	30.1	8 / 27	3	2nd	Opposition
1995	7,674	30.1	10 / 31	2	2nd	Coalition
1999	7,100	25.2	8 / 31	2	2nd	Opposition (1999–2001)
						Coalition (2001–2002)
2002	5,780	20.2	7 / 31	1	3rd	Opposition (2002–2003)
						Coalition (2003)
						Opposition (2003–2005)
2005	5,528	19.1	6 / 31	1	4th	Coalition
2009	3,094	10.9	3 / 31	3	4th	Coalition
2013	2,454	8.1	2 / 31	1	3rd	Coalition (2013–2014)
						Opposition (2014)
2014	1,919	6.5	2 / 31		5th	Coalition (2014–2016)
						Opposition (2016–2018)
2018	1,730	5.9	2 / 31		5th	External support (2018)
						Coalition (2018–2020)
						Opposition (2020–2021)
2021	1,878	7.1	2 / 31		5th	Opposition
2025	2,092	7.4	2 / 31		5th	TBA

Folketing

Election	Greenland
	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1979	6,390	44.9	1 / 2	New	1st
1981	9,223	48.9	1 / 2		1st
1984	9,308	43.5	1 / 2		1st
1987	6,627	41.3	1 / 2		2nd
1988	8,135	38.7	1 / 2		2nd
1990	7,087	36.6	1 / 2		2nd
1994	7,501	34.7	1 / 2		2nd
1998	8,569	36.0	1 / 2		2nd
2001	5,138	22.1	0 / 2	1	3rd
2005	3,774	16.4	0 / 2		4th
2007	4,094	16.3	0 / 2		4th
2011	1,706	7.6	0 / 2		4th
2015	1,528	7.6	0 / 2		4th
2019	1,098	5.5	0 / 2		6th
2022	720	3.7	0 / 2		5th

Atassut was already established as a political movement at the time of the Folketing election on 15 February 1977, and the three Atassut founders Arqalo Abelsen, Ole Berglund and Otto Steenholdt ran as an association of candidates, which got 8,391 votes and Otto Steenholdt elected. ^[19]

Leaders

• 2019– Aqqalu Jerimiassen ^[20]
• 2017–2019 Siverth K. Heilmann ^[21]
• 2017 Qulutannguaq Inuk Berthelsen (acting; after Knud Kristiansen left the party) ^[22]
• 2014–2017 Knud Kristiansen ^[23]
• 2009–2014 Gerhardt Petersen
• 2005–2009 Finn Karlsen
• 2002–2005 Augusta Salling ^[24]
• 1993–2002 Daniel Skifte ^[25]
• 1989–1993 Konrad Steenholdt
• 1985–1989 Otto Steenholdt ^{[26] [27]}
• 1979–1984 Lars Chemnitz ^[28]

Notes

1. Since 2019
2. Prior to 2019

References

1. Christina Bergqvist, ed. (1999). "Appendix II". Equal Democracies?: Gender and Politics in the Nordic Countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. p. 319. ISBN   978-82-00-12799-4.
2. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Greenland/Denmark" . Retrieved 27 September 2018.
3. Europe Review 2003/04: The Economic and Business Report. Kogan Page Publishers. 2003. p. 163. ISBN   978-0-7494-4067-1.
4. Barry Turner, ed. (2000). The Statesman's Yearbook 2001: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 530. ISBN   978-0-230-27129-6.
5. Háskólabókasafn, Landsbókasafn Íslands-. "Tímarit.is". timarit.is.
6. Nuttall, Mark, ed. (2004-11-03). Encyclopedia of the Arctic. Routledge. p. 168. ISBN   9781579584368.
7. Mark Nuttall, ed. (2012). Encyclopedia of the Arctic. Routledge. pp. 168–169. ISBN   978-1-136-78680-8.
8. Kruse, Kathrine (2018-02-08). "Atassut vil stoppe partihoppere ved klausul" [Atassut wants to stop party jumpers by clause]. Sermitsiaq AG. Archived from the original on 2018-03-04. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
9. Hansen, Nukappiaaluk (2017-02-01). "Atassut Ungdom ønsker ikke at tage imod flygtninge" [Atassut Youth does not want to accept refugees]. Sermitsiaq.AG. Archived from the original on 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
10. Dollerup-Scheibel, Mads (2015-09-09). "Steen Lynge: Grønland har ikke råd til flygtninge" [Steen Lynge: Greenland cannot afford refugees]. Sermitsiaq.AG. Archived from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
11. "Kalaallit Nunaanni Qinersinerit - Valg i Grønland - Elections in Greenland". qinersineq.gl. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
12. "Greenland's left-wing IA party forms new government, vows to block rare-earth mine". Reuters. April 16, 2021.
13. Lars Toft Rasmussen (1987). "Greenlandic and Danish attitudes to Canadian Arctic Shipping". In Franklyn Griffiths (ed.). Politics of the Northwest Passage. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 140. ISBN   978-0-7735-0613-8.
14. Andrew J. Hund, ed. (2014). Antarctica and the Arctic Circle: A Geographic Encyclopedia of the Earth's Polar Regions. ABC-CLIO. p. 316. ISBN   978-1-61069-393-6.
15. Maher, Joanne, ed. (2008). The Europa World Year Book - 2008 (49th ed.). New York: Routledge. p. 1552. ISBN   9781857434514.
16. Diana Vinding, ed. (2004). The Indigenous World 2004. IWGIA. p. 28. ISBN   978-87-90730-83-3.
17. Loukacheva, Natalia (2007). Arctic Promise: Legal and Political Autonomy of Greenland and Nunavut. University of Toronto Press. p. 61. ISBN   9781442684874.
18. Loukacheva, Natalia (2007). Arctic Promise: Legal and Political Autonomy of Greenland and Nunavut. University of Toronto Press. p. 55. ISBN   9781442684874.
19. Oplysning, Folketingets (2005). "Folketingsvalgene i Grønland 1977-2019" [The Parliamentary Elections in Greenland 1977-2019](PDF). www.ft.dk. Archived from the original on 2017-06-24. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
20. Kristiansen, Kassaaluk (2019-11-09). "Aqqalu Jerimiassen bliver formand for Atassut" [Aqqalu Jerimiassen becomes chairman of Atassut]. Sermitsiaq.AG. Archived from the original on 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
21. "Atassut har fået ny formand" [Atassut has a new chairman]. Sermitsiaq.AG. 2017-02-19. Archived from the original on 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
22. Hansen, Nukappiaaluk (11 January 2017). "Fungerende formand: Erfarne politikere har flygtet fra ansvaret". Sermitsiaq.ag (in Danish). Retrieved 12 January 2017.
23. Krarup, Paul (2014-09-27). "Knud Kristiansen er ny formand for Atassut" [Knud Kristiansen is the new chairman of Atassut]. Sermitsiaq.AG. Archived from the original on 2015-09-22. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
24. Sommer, Karsten Sommer (2005-01-19). "Atassut klar med kandidatlisten" [Atassut ready with the candidate list]. KNR. Archived from the original on 2014-12-09. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
25. "Otto Steenholdt ekskluderet fra Atassut". jyllands-posten.dk. May 1, 2000.
26. Nuttall, Mark (September 23, 2005). Encyclopedia of the Arctic. Routledge. ISBN   9781136786808 – via Google Books.
27. "Otto Steenholdt". Den Store Danske (in Danish). 2020-05-07. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
28. "Lars Chemnitz". Den Store Danske (in Danish). 2020-05-07. Retrieved 2021-04-06.

External links

• Atassut official site (archive)