Atassut

Atassut
File:Atassut logo 2024.svg
Abbreviation	A
Leader	Aqqalu Jerimiassen
Founded	29 April 1978
Headquarters	Nuuk, Greenland
Youth wing	Atassutip Inuusuttai (Atassut Youth)
Ideology	Liberal conservatism Conservative liberalism Danish unionism
Political position	Centre-right
National affiliation	Venstre
Nordic affiliation	Centre Group
Colours	Verdigris   Blue
Inatsisartut	2 / 31
Municipalities	4 / 81
Folketing (Greenland seats)	0 / 2
Election symbol
A
Website
www.atassut.gl
Politics of Greenland Political parties Elections

Atassut (English: Cohesion/Link/Togetherness/Solidarity, also referred to as Feeling of Community) is a liberal-conservative and unionist political party in Greenland. Founded on 29 April 1978, Atassut is an established partner of Venstre.

History

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Party logo until December 2024

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; 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. 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; it 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.

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.

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. Following the election, Atassut offered external support to the governing coalition formed by the Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq parties.

Ideology

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

The party was previously opposed to Greenlandic home rule; Atassut later shifted to supporting home rule and autonomy, but without leaving the unity of the Realm. 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.

Election results

Inatsisartut

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1979	7,688	41.7	8 / 21	New	Increase 2nd	Opposition
1983	11,443	46.6	12 / 26	Increase 4	Increase 1st	Opposition
1984	9,873	43.8	11 / 25	Decrease 1	Decrease 2nd	Opposition
1987	10,044	40.1	11 / 27	Steady	Increase 1st	Opposition (1987–1988)
						External support (1988–1991)
1991	7,536	30.1	8 / 27	Decrease 3	Decrease 2nd	Opposition
1995	7,674	30.1	10 / 31	Increase 2	Steady 2nd	Coalition
1999	7,100	25.2	8 / 31	Decrease 2	Steady 2nd	Opposition (1999–2001)
						Coalition (2001–2002)
2002	5,780	20.2	7 / 31	Decrease 1	Decrease 3rd	Opposition (2002–2003)
						Coalition (2003)
						Opposition (2003–2005)
2005	5,528	19.1	6 / 31	Decrease 1	Decrease 4th	Coalition
2009	3,094	10.9	3 / 31	Decrease 3	Steady 4th	Coalition
2013	2,454	8.1	2 / 31	Decrease 1	Increase 3rd	Coalition (2013–2014)
						Opposition (2014)
2014	1,919	6.5	2 / 31	Steady	Decrease 5th	Coalition (2014–2016)
						Opposition (2016–2018)
2018	1,730	5.9	2 / 31	Steady	Steady 5th	External support (2018)
						Coalition (2018–2020)
						Opposition (2020–2021)
2021	1,878	7.1	2 / 31	Steady	Steady 5th	Opposition
2025	2,092	7.4	2 / 31	Steady	Steady 5th	Coalition

Folketing

Election	Greenland
	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1979	6,390	44.9	1 / 2	New	Increase 1st
1981	9,223	48.9	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 1st
1984	9,308	43.5	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 1st
1987	6,627	41.3	1 / 2	Steady	Decrease 2nd
1988	8,135	38.7	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 2nd
1990	7,087	36.6	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 2nd
1994	7,501	34.7	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 2nd
1998	8,569	36.0	1 / 2	Steady	Steady 2nd
2001	5,138	22.1	0 / 2	Decrease 1	Decrease 3rd
2005	3,774	16.4	0 / 2	Steady	Decrease 4th
2007	4,094	16.3	0 / 2	Steady	Steady 4th
2011	1,706	7.6	0 / 2	Steady	Steady 4th
2015	1,528	7.6	0 / 2	Steady	Steady 4th
2019	1,098	5.5	0 / 2	Steady	Decrease 6th
2022	720	3.7	0 / 2	Steady	Increase 5th

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.

Leaders

• 2019– Aqqalu Jerimiassen
• 2017–2019 Siverth K. Heilmann
• 2017 Qulutannguaq Inuk Berthelsen (acting; after Knud Kristiansen left the party)
• 2014–2017 Knud Kristiansen
• 2009–2014 Gerhardt Petersen
• 2005–2009 Finn Karlsen
• 2002–2005 Augusta Salling
• 1993–2002 Daniel Skifte
• 1989–1993 Konrad Steenholdt
• 1985–1989 Otto Steenholdt
• 1979–1984 Lars Chemnitz

External links

• Atassut official site (archive)