Atassut

Solidarity
Atassut
Leader Siverth K. Heilmann
Founded 29 April 1978
Headquarters Nuuk, Greenland
Youth wing Atassutip inuusuttaasa Kattuffiat (Atassut youth)
Ideology Liberal conservatism[1]
Conservative liberalism[2]
Conservatism[3]
Greenlandic unionism[2]
Political position Centre-right[4]
National affiliation Venstre
European affiliation None
International affiliation None
Nordic affiliation None
Colours Blue
Inatsisartut
2 / 31
Municipalities
9 / 73
Folketing
(Greenland seats)
0 / 2

Atassut (official English name Solidarity, literally the roof raft that keeps a house together; also referred to as Feeling of Community[5]) is a liberal-conservative[1] and unionist[2] political party in Greenland. Founded on 29 April 1978, Atassut is an established partner of the Liberal Party of Denmark.[6]

The party was opposed to Greenlandic home rule;[7] Atassut later shifted to supporting home rule and autonomy, but without leaving the unity of the Realm.[8] The party has moved from a traditional right-wing position towards later supporting the subsidisation of primary-sector business, just like the Social Democratic Siumut party.[7]

History

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,[6] though it soon became more liberal.

Its first program 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.[6]

Originally 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.

The party dropped to 10.9% of the vote in the June 2009 snap election the party dropped to 10.9% of the vote, and lost 3 of its 6 seats. In the following election in 2013 the party was reduced to two seats, which they maintained in the 2014 elections despite fewer votes, but both MPs later defected to Siumut, one of whom was its chairman Knud Kristiansen.[9]

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. [10] [11]

In the 2018 election Atassut gained two seats in the Inatsisartut despite having no incumbents after both their MPs had defected to Siumut.

Ideology

Atassut has been referred to as liberal,[12][13] conservative,[14] and liberal-conservative.[1] The party supports privatisation of public industries, a form of citizen's income, NATO co-operation, and Greenlandic affiliation with the European Union.[6]

Election results

Parliament of Greenland (Inatsiartut)

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
 Increase 4
1984 9,873 43.8 (#2)
11 / 25
 Decrease 1
1987 8,105 40.1 (#2)
11 / 26
 Steady 0
1991 7,536 30.1 (#2)
8 / 27
 Decrease 3
1995 7,674 30.1 (#2)
10 / 31
 Increase 2
1999 7,100 25.2 (#2)
8 / 31
 Decrease 2
2002 5,780 20.2 (#3)
7 / 31
 Decrease 1
2005 5,528 19.1 (#4)
6 / 31
 Decrease 1
2009 3,094 10.9 (#4)
3 / 31
 Decrease 3
2013 2,454 8.1 (#3)
2 / 31
 Decrease 1
2014 1,919 6.5 (#5)
2 / 31
 Steady 0
2018 1,730 5.9 (#5)
2 / 31
 Steady 0

Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark (Folketinget)

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
 Steady 0
1984 9,308 43.5 (#1)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
1987 6,627 41.3 (#2)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
1988 8,135 38.7 (#2)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
1990 7,078 36.6 (#2)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
1994 7,501 34.7 (#2)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
1998 8,404 36.1 (#2)
1 / 2
 Steady 0
2001 5,138 22.1 (#3)
0 / 2
 Decrease 1
2005 3,374 14.9 (#4)
0 / 2
 Steady 0
2007 4,097 16.0 (#4)
0 / 2
 Steady 0
2011 1,706 7.2 (#4)
0 / 2
 Steady 0
2015 1,528 7.4 (#4)
0 / 2
 Steady 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.[15]

Leaders

  • 2017– Siverth K. Heilmann [16]
  • 2017 Qulutannguaq Inuk Berthelsen, acting after Knud Kristiansen left the party[17]
  • 2014–2017 Knud Kristiansen[18]
  • 2009–2014 Gerhardt Petersen
  • 2005–2009 Finn Karlsen
  • 2002–2005 Augusta Salling[19]
  • 1993–2002 Daniel Skifte[20]
  • 1989–1993 Konrad Steenholdt
  • 1985–1989 Otto Steenholdt[21][22]
  • 1979–1984 Lars Chemnitz[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Greenland/Denmark". Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  3. ↑ Maher, Joanne, ed. (2008). The Europa World Year Book 2008. Taylor & Francis. p. 1552.
  4. ↑ Europe Review 2003/04: The Economic and Business Report. Kogan Page Publishers. 2003. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-7494-4067-1.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Mark Nuttall, ed. (2012). Encyclopedia of the Arctic. Routledge. pp. 168–169. ISBN 978-1-136-78680-8.
  7. 1 2 Loukacheva (2007). The Arctic Promise. p. 61.
  8. ↑ Loukacheva (2007). The Arctic Promise. p. 55.
  9. ↑ http://sermitsiaq.ag/atassut-stoppe-partihoppere-ved-klausul
  10. ↑ http://sermitsiaq.ag/atassut-ungdom-oensker-ikke-tage-imod-flygtninge
  11. ↑ http://sermitsiaq.ag/steen-lynge-groenland-ikke-raad-flygtninge
  12. ↑ Lars Toft Rasmussen (1987). "Greenlandic and Danish attitudes to Canadian Arctic Shipping". In Franklyn Griffiths. Politics of the Northwest Passage. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7735-0613-8.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ Diana Vinding, ed. (2004). The Indigenous World 2004. IWGIA. p. 28. ISBN 978-87-90730-83-3.
  15. ↑ http://www.ft.dk/~/media/sites/ft/pdf/folkestyret/valg-og-afstemninger/valgresultater-grnland.ashx?la=da
  16. ↑ http://sermitsiaq.ag/atassut-faaet-ny-formand
  17. ↑ Hansen, Nukappiaaluk (11 January 2017). "Fungerende formand: Erfarne politikere har flygtet fra ansvaret". Sermitsiaq.ag (in Danish). Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  18. ↑ sermitsiaq.ag - Knud Kristiansen er ny formand for Atassut
  19. ↑ knr.gl - Atassut klar med kandidatlisten
  20. ↑ jyllands-posten.dk - Otto Steenholdt ekskluderet fra Atassut
  21. ↑ books.google.com - Encyclopedia of the Arctic by Mark Nuttall
  22. ↑ denstoredanske.dk Otto Steenholdt
  23. ↑ denstoredanske.dk Lars Chemnitz
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