Erik Jensen (Greenlandic politician)
{{short description|Greenlandic politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| office1 = Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
| term_start1 = 4 April 2022
| term_end1 =
| primeminister1 = Múte Bourup Egede
| predecessor1 = Naaja Nathanielsen
| primeminister2 = Kim Kielsen
| monarch2 = Margrethe II
| office2 = Minister of Mineral Resources
| termstart2 = 11 May 2018
| termend2 = Ended
| successor2 = Jens Frederik-Nielsen
| primeminister3 = Kim Kielsen
| monarch3 = Margrethe II
| office3 = Minister of Labor
| termstart3 = 11 May 2018
| termend3 = Ended
| successor3 = Jess Svane
| office = Leader of Siumut
| term_start = 29 November 2020
| term_end = 12 March 2025
| primeminister = Kim Kielsen
| predecessor = Kim Kielsen
| successor = Vivian Motzfeldt
| nationality = Greenlandic
| citizenship = Denmark
| party = Siumut
| residence = Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland
| occupation = Politician
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|7|15}}
| birth_place = Sisimiut, Qeqqata, Greenland
| image = Erik Jensen (2023) (Kenneth Wehr).jpg
| caption = Jensen in 2023
}}
Erik Jensen (born 15 July 1975) is a Greenlandic politician who is serving as the Minister of Mineral Resources and Labor. He previously served as the leader of Siumut from 2020 to 2025. He is a strong proponent of the Greenland independence movement.{{cite web |last1=Breum |first1=Martin |title=New political leader in Greenland: "We are on the path towards independence" |url=https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/new-political-leader-greenland-we-are-path-towards-independence |website=High North News}}
Political career
In the Kielsen V Cabinet, Erik Jensen served as the Minister of Mineral Resources and Labor. In October 2019, Jensen met with delegates from the United States to discuss initiatives of Greenland's resource sector.{{cite web |title=Meeting about mineral resources |url=https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/News/2019/10/2410_delegation |website=Naalakkersuisut}}
In 2020, disputes within Siumut regarding the leadership of Kim Kielsen and his lack of involvement of local politicians in decision making processes came to a boiling point, and Jensen resigned from the government. In 2020, Jensen was elected the new party leader of Siumut, beating incumbent leader Kim Kielsen in a 39-32 margin. Jensen has had been trying to distinguish himself from Kielsen as more for Greenlandic independence. Traditionally, the leader of the ruling party also took the position as the Prime Minister of Greenland, however Prime Minister Kielsen has not confirmed how he would proceed with the results. Jensen so far has shown no intention to immediately compete for the position of Prime Minister.{{cite web |last1=Wegner |first1=Michael |title=Stormy times for Greenlands politics |url=https://polarjournal.ch/en/2020/12/02/stormy-times-for-greenlands-politics/ |website=Polar Journal}}
Political positions
When United States President Donald Trump proposed to buy Greenland from Denmark, Jensen responded that "Greenland is open for business, but we are not for sale."
References
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Category:Government ministers of Greenland
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