Wikipedia

Atassut

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 the Liberal Party of Denmark.[7]

Atassut
AbbreviationA
LeaderAqqalu Jerimiassen
Founded29 April 1978
HeadquartersNuuk, Greenland
Youth wingAtassutip Inuusuttai (Atassut Youth)
IdeologyLiberal conservatism[1]
Conservative liberalism[2]
Greenlandic unionism[2]
Political positionCentre-right[3]
National affiliationVenstre
Nordic affiliationCentre Group
Colours
  •   Verdigris[a]
  •   Blue[b]
Inatsisartut
2 / 31
Municipalities
6 / 81
Folketing
(Greenland seats)
0 / 2
Website
www.atassut.gl

History

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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

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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

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Parliament of Greenland (Inatsisartut)

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Election year # of
overall votes 		% of
overall vote 		# of
overall seats won 		±
1979 7,688 41.7 (#2)
8 / 21
 New
1983 11,443 46.6 (#1)
12 / 26
   4
1984 9,873 43.8 (#2)
11 / 25
   1
1987 10,044 40.1 (#1)
11 / 27
   0
1991 7,536 30.1 (#2)
8 / 27
   3
1995 7,674 30.1 (#2)
10 / 31
   2
1999 7,100 25.2 (#2)
8 / 31
   2
2002 5,780 20.2 (#3)
7 / 31
   1
2005 5,528 19.1 (#4)
6 / 31
   1
2009 3,094 10.9 (#4)
3 / 31
   3
2013 2,454 8.1 (#3)
2 / 31
   1
2014 1,919 6.5 (#5)
2 / 31
   0
2018 1,730 5.9 (#5)
2 / 31
   0
2021 1,878 7.1 (#5)
2 / 31
   0

Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark (Folketinget)

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Election year Votes % of Greenlandic vote Seats won ±
1979 6,390 44.9 (#1)
1 / 2
 		New
1981 9,223 48.9 (#1)
1 / 2
 		  0
1984 9,308 43.5 (#1)
1 / 2
 		  0
1987 6,627 41.3 (#2)
1 / 2
 		  0
1988 8,135 38.7 (#2)
1 / 2
 		  0
1990 7,087 36.6 (#2)
1 / 2
 		  0
1994 7,501 34.7 (#2)
1 / 2
 		  0
1998 8,569 36.0 (#2)
1 / 2
 		  0
2001 5,138 22.1 (#3)
0 / 2
 		  1
2005 3,774 16.4 (#4)
0 / 2
 		  0
2007 4,094 16.3 (#4)
0 / 2
 		  0
2011 1,706 7.6 (#4)
0 / 2
 		  0
2015 1,528 7.6 (#4)
0 / 2
 		  0
2019 1,098 5.5 (#6)
0 / 2
 		  0
2022 720 3.7 (#5)
0 / 2
 		  0

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

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  • 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

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  1. ^ Since 2019
  2. ^ Prior to 2019

References

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  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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.
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