Greenland's new government that will soon preside over enhanced self-rule was presented Wednesday, roughly a week after elections were held, according to dpa. Kuupik Kleist, leader of the leftist party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) that won 14 of the 31 seats in the self-rule parliament, is new premier. IA doubled its share in the June 2 vote compared to the 2005 elections. With one seat, the Katusequatigiit Partiiat was offered the post of interior affairs. The post of finance minister was allocated to Palle Christiansen of the Democrats while that party's leader Jens B Frederiksen will take charge of the housing and infrastructure portfolio. Family and welfare issues were to be handled by female members of IA. The landslide victory for IA ended the social democratic Siumut party's three decade long dominance of Greenland politics. Defeated Greenland Premier Hans Enoksen, premier since 2002, has stepped down as leader of Siumut, and was replaced Tuesday by former finance minister Aleqa Hammond. The sparsely populated Arctic island, with a population of just under 60,000, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. On June 21 it is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of home rule when an enhanced self-rule bill approved last year is also scheduled to take effect. The plan approved in November 2008 would give Greenland partial control over its natural resources and allow it to take greater charge of justice and legal affairs. Danish subsidies, known as the block grant, would continue.
