“I imagine, that you are busy – Do you have time to answer some questions?“
– Soorunami – Yes, actually today is a bit quieter. I’ve caught a cold from standing out all election day, replies Naaja H. Nathanielsen, when Sermitsiaq catches her over the phone.
“I imagine, that you are busy – Do you have time to answer some questions?“
– Soorunami – Yes, actually today is a bit quieter. I’ve caught a cold from standing out all election day, replies Naaja H. Nathanielsen, when Sermitsiaq catches her over the phone.
After five years with some of the heaviest posts in Naalakkersuisut, Naaja H. Nathanielsen (IA) is now moving into Christiansborg with a clear mandate from the Greenlandic voters. For Nathanielsen, the change is not just a career move, but a necessary prioritization of the relationship between Nuuk and Copenhagen.
– I have long wanted to work more directly with the relationship between Denmark and Greenland, because there are some obvious things that should be improved, she explains about her motivation for seeking election to the Folketing.
Although she leaves behind a central role in Naalakkersuisut, she sees her new work as decisive for the country’s future position in the Commonwealth. Her political compass points towards a fundamental reform of cooperation.
– The most important thing for me is the overall framework for the kingdom. We must develop the relationship and ensure equality within that framework, says Nathanielsen to Sermitsiaq.
It was up to the voters
Her victory in the general election, where Inuit Ataqatigiit became the largest party, sends her to Denmark with solid popular support behind her. Asked about the timing and the political maneuver behind the change, she denies that there was a hidden plan behind it.
– I have never had a fixed career plan. It is about the fact that I wanted to work more with the relationship between Denmark and Greenland, which I did not have the opportunity to do in my previous role. The decision was not strategic, and in the end it was up to the voters, emphasizes Naaja.
With a past as both director of the Norwegian Correctional Service and one of Greenland’s most central members of Naalakkersuisut, Naaja H. Nathanielsen brings good ballast to the upcoming negotiations in Copenhagen. She sees this very background as her primary engine for creating results.
– I am used to political work, especially negotiation techniques and cooperation across parties. In addition, I have worked extensively with topics that affect Greenland, such as business development, economy and energy. I can take that knowledge directly with me, continues Naaja H. Nathanielsen.
So what happens now?
Although the election has just ended, the calendar for the first time in the Danish capital is already in place. The preparations culminate just after Easter, when the political visions must be exchanged for practical work in committees.
– I will be in Denmark for some negotiations in the coming time, and then we will formally meet on 14 April, when I will be present at the signing in connection with the constitution of the Folketing. It will be the first real working day. Until then, it is on negotiations, preparations and establishment of the secretariat, explains Nathanielsen.
Raw materials policy is not security policy
Although the daily focus in the Folketing will be on the broad political craft, Naaja H. Nathanielsen brings a number of unwavering principles to Copenhagen. In particular, the question of the Greenlandic resources, which she has managed as Naalakkersuisoq, will remain a special issue that she will bring into the Danish parliament.
– I believe that raw materials policy is not the same as security policy, and Greenland has the right to its own raw materials. I will stand firm on that, points out Naaja.
However, Nathanielsen does not see Greenland’s voice as isolated. She points to the value of a united North Atlantic front when the broad lines of the Commonwealth are to be drawn, and she therefore extends her hand to her colleagues from the Faroe Islands, as she herself says:
– I hope for close cooperation with the North Atlantic mandates. We are different, but we also have many common challenges. I hope we can find common ground and cooperate as much as possible, even though we belong to different party groups.
Continues to work for increased self-determination
For Nathanielsen, the work at Christiansborg is ultimately a means to a greater goal. Although the immediate task is about equality and daily politics, the ideological course is rooted in the desire for a more independent future for Greenland, regardless of how long that process may take.
– I still believe that changes must be planned properly. I continue to work for increased self-determination, and that is still my overall goal, states Naaja H. Nathanielsen.
