Current naalakkersuisoq Naaja Nathanielsen would like to embrace broadly and shape the future if the voters make her a member of the Folketing on March 24. But what does that really mean? Sermitsiaq has spoken with the IA candidate.
Naalakkersuisoq for business, raw materials, energy, justice and equality Naaja Nathanielsen has declared herself ready to succeed Aaja Chemnitz as IA’s representative in the Danish Parliament.
Sermitsiaq has met Nathanielsen for a chat about what kind of parliamentarian she imagines herself to be, if the voters want it – and perhaps a simple question in relation to the current political trouble. However, we will take that in the end.
– I am running because there is a huge task in the coming years in conveying our ambitions to Danish decision-makers, says Naaja Nathanielsen.
– There are changes on the way on a scale we haven’t seen for decades, and I really want to help shape that process of change, she adds.
We start by looking at IA’s election program. It starts with some goals such as building the foundation for the Greenland of the future, putting welfare before symbolic politics and strengthening the economy without gambling with security.
More concretely, the IA will have a permanent agreement regarding access to the Danish healthcare system.
There aren’t very many people who disagree with these things, Naaja?
– In such a plan, it shouldn’t be the case that you offend the majority of those who read it, notes Naaja Nathanielsen.
This speaks very well to the difference between electing representatives to the Folketing and then the Inatsisart committee, where the fronts can be drawn up harder, she believes.
– As a member of the Norwegian Parliament, you quickly get to represent the whole of Greenland vis-a-vis Denmark, so it will be a broadly encompassing role. Therefore, the question for the general election in reality often comes down to an X-factor that is difficult to determine: Who can represent us best?
Trump made a primary difference
Several candidates have previously discussed the judicial policy theme in current interviews with Sermitsiaq. As you know, the important topic is one of Naaja Nathanielsen’s current areas of responsibility as naalakkersuisoq.
But who actually has the most influence in the legal field – Naaja Nathanielsen as naalakkersuisoq or Naaja Nathanielsen as a future member of parliament?
– You know what? None of them.
Uh, what?
– In my current position, I negotiated 850 million for the area of justice. A huge boost, even if it just gets us up to a more acceptable level.
– But it was not me who made the decision, nor those in the Folketing. The result was that Trump began to show an interest in Greenland, and then some processes that had been lying dead for years were suddenly started.
– And that is precisely the point. I’m happy with that deal. But it frustrates me that it was an outside threat that was needed. This is why I will also use my position as a member of the Norwegian Parliament – if I am elected – to hold conversations about the overall issue.
What does that approach entail, more concretely?
– I would like to be the one who states that things must be done better, rather than that I must have 10 million for one or the other.
So, you want to try to improve the institutions rather than creating many pools for scattered purposes?
– Yes, that’s a fair summary. I think we need to talk more about investing. And right now there is a will on the Danish side to prioritize some things that were not there a few years ago. Perhaps also a greater curiosity about Greenland.
– The world is changing, and we must take those changes together. It also means that we will talk about the structure if there is to be a kingdom in the future, says Naaja Nathanielsen.
Not on my cloak
We came to talk about general elections. But it seems that the general election campaign and Greenlandic domestic politics are well and truly intertwined at the moment.
Therefore, we end with a question about the current situation. After Siumut has stepped down from Naalakkersuisut with direct reference to Naaja Nathanielsen and Anna Wangenheim (D) running as sitting naalakkersuisut.
If you had known in advance how much trouble there would be in the coalition around your line-up, would you have done anything differently?
– I’m sorry Siumut came to that conclusion, because I think it was the wrong choice. But I don’t wear it on my coat. I am using my democratic right to run for Parliament. And if you want to correct a political criticism, then it should come with some real political substance, not be about limiting the rights of others.
– So no. I wouldn’t have done anything differently, says Naaja Nathanielsen.
