The prime minister of Greenland (; ), also known as the premier of Greenland, is the head of government of Greenland, a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. The prime minister is usually the person who is leader of the majority party in the Parliament of Greenland (Inatsisartut). Jonathan Motzfeldt became the first prime minister after home rule was granted to Greenland in 1979. The incumbent prime minister is Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Difference from the prime minister of Denmark
Greenland's prime minister leads the domestic Greenlandic government (Naalakkersuisut) in areas transferred to self-rule, while the prime minister of Denmark leads the national government handling reserved matters (foreign policy, defense, monetary issues, citizenship, etc.). Under the 2009 Self-Government Act, Greenland controls its internal legislative and executive powers, whereas the Danish prime minister (as head of the realm's government) handles foreign affairs, defense, and other Kingdom-wide issues, with formal limits and required consultations.
Within Greenland's self-government framework, the Greenlandic prime minister implements laws in transferred policy areas. By law, Greenlandic authorities "include legislative, executive and judicial powers in those areas that are within Greenlandic competence", The Self-Government Act explicitly treats "foreign, defence and security policy" as the prerogative of the Danish Government (after consulting Greenland if Greenlandic interests are involved).
Specific powers the Danish prime minister/Government has regarding Greenland include: negotiating international treaties and agreements for the Kingdom (with mandatory information or consultation for those important to Greenland); deciding Greenland's defense and security policy (subject to constitutional constraints and Folketing approval);
List of prime ministers of Greenland
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2|
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! rowspan=2| Name<br />
! colspan=3| Term of office
! colspan=2 rowspan=2| Party
! rowspan=2| Elected
! rowspan=2| Cabinet(s)
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
| rowspan=5| 1
| rowspan=5| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=5| Jonathan Motzfeldt<br>
| rowspan=5| 1 May 1979
| rowspan=5| 18 March 1991
| rowspan=5|
! rowspan=5 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=5| Siumut
| 1979
| Motzfeldt I
|-
| 1983
| Motzfeldt II
|-
| 1984
| Motzfeldt III
|-
| 1987
| Motzfeldt IV
|-
| –
| Motzfeldt V
|-
| rowspan=2| 2
| rowspan=2| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=2| Lars-Emil Johansen<br>
| rowspan=2| 18 March 1991
| rowspan=2| 19 September 1997
| rowspan=2|
! rowspan=2 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=2| Siumut
| 1991
| Johansen I
|-
| 1995
| Johansen II
|-
| rowspan=3|
| rowspan=3| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=3| Jonathan Motzfeldt<br>
| rowspan=3| 19 September 1997
| rowspan=3| 14 December 2002
| rowspan=3|
! rowspan=3 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=3| Siumut
| –
| Motzfeldt VI
|-
| 1999
| Motzfeldt VII
|-
| –
| Motzfeldt VIII
|-
| rowspan=5| 3
| rowspan=5| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=5| Hans Enoksen<br>
| rowspan=5| 14 December 2002
| rowspan=5| 12 June 2009
| rowspan=5|
! rowspan=5 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=5| Siumut
| 2002
| Enoksen I
|-
| –
| Enoksen II
|-
| –
| Enoksen III
|-
| 2005
| Enoksen IV
|-
| –
| Enoksen V
|-
| 4
| frameless|upright=0.3
| Kuupik Kleist<br>
| 12 June 2009
| 5 April 2013
|
! style="background:;" |
| Inuit Ataqatigiit
| 2009
| Kleist
|-
| rowspan=2| 5
| rowspan=2| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=2| Aleqa Hammond<br>
| rowspan=2| 5 April 2013
| rowspan=2| 30 September 2014
| rowspan=2|
! rowspan=2 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=2| Siumut
| 2013
| Hammond I
|-
| –
| Hammond II
|-
| rowspan=7| 6
| rowspan=7| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=7| Kim Kielsen<br>
| rowspan=7| 30 September 2014
| rowspan=7| 23 April 2021
| rowspan=7|
! rowspan=7 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=7| Siumut
| –
| Kielsen I
|-
| 2014
| Kielsen II
|-
| –
| Kielsen III
|-
| 2018
| Kielsen IV
|-
| –
| Kielsen V
|-
| –
| Kielsen VI
|-
| –
| Kielsen VII
|-
| rowspan=2| 7
| rowspan=2| frameless|upright=0.3
| rowspan=2| Múte Bourup Egede<br>
| rowspan=2| 23 April 2021
| rowspan=2| 7 April 2025
| rowspan=2|
! rowspan=2 style="background:;" |
| rowspan=2| Inuit Ataqatigiit
| 2021
| Egede I
|-
| –
| Egede II
|-
| 8
| frameless|upright=0.3
| Jens-Frederik Nielsen<br>
| 7 April 2025
| Incumbent
|
! style="background:;" |
| Democrats
| 2025
| Nielsen
|}
Timeline
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See also
- List of governors of Greenland