Ruling party edges opposition in Greenland vote

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Greenland’s governing Siumut party finished barely ahead of the Arctic island’s main opposition group in parliamentary elections in the semiautonomous Danish territory and will get the first crack at forming a coalition government.

The social-democratic Siumut won 34.3 percent of the votes, 326 votes more than the left-leaning Inuit Ataqatigiit, which grabbed 33.2 percent, according to official returns Saturday. Each party got 11 of the 31 seats in Inatsisartut, or parliament.

The Democrats won four seats and newcomer Partii Naleraq took three. They could become kingmakers unless Siumut leader Kim Kielsen, 48, attempts teaming up with Inuit Ataqatigiit. The business-oriented Atassut party got two seats.

Greenland governs its own affairs but depends on an annual grant of $600 million from its former colonial ruler, Denmark.

The elections were held 18 months early because former Siumut Premier Aleqa Hammond stepped down after admitting she used government funds privately. Hammond didn’t run in Friday’s elections.