Fina and Malu will vote for the first time: - This election is probably one of the most important

Gold and silver foil curtains hang and sparkle from the balconies in the auditorium at GUX in Nuuk.

007. Welcome agents, a sign reads.

This weekend there was a gala party at the high school and the theme was 'James Bond'. Fina Winberg participated. She herself is in 2.G and was supposed to watch the 3.Gs and 4.Gs dance lancier and kalattuut. Next year it will be her turn.

- I think it will be difficult. But fun to learn, she says.

Fina Winberg has just had a day off, and the school is completely quiet. She is sitting with her friend, Malu Kajangmat, at one of the round tables in the auditorium.

In addition to the fact that they both work in the same shoe store and have been in the same primary school class for ten years, they are now in the same social studies class at high school.

And soon they will be voting for the very first time.

- It's exciting. You've never tried it before, says Malu Kajangmat, looking over at her friend.

Last year, their entire class lined up at the polling station when the Inatsisartutvalget was to be voted on. While the oldest students in the class lined up to cast their votes, Malu Kajangmat, Fina Winberg and the others from the class who were not yet 18 stood and watched.

- It was exciting. But it was also a shame not to be able to vote, says Fina Winberg.

On March 24, when they go to the ballot box with their class again, they will no longer just watch, and they are looking forward to that.

- This election is probably one of the most important elections ever. Because suddenly, Greenland has been in the spotlight. And we have never been in that before, says Fina Winberg.

Trump is on our minds when it comes to voting

In addition to gala decorations and glitter, there are homemade drawings of Donald Trump in the auditorium.

On an elevator shaft hang four different versions of the American president with clown paint on his face.

Kalaallit Nunaat – Kalaallit Pigaat, says another poster.

Donald Trump, the threats to make Greenland part of the USA and everything that followed, have meant a lot to Fina Winberg, Malu Kajangmat and their class this year.

- I actually think that every morning we watched the news first thing, says Fina Winberg and continues:

- We watched press conferences together. We talked about the same thing. We have been quite good at talking about it with the teacher and also just the class. There was a time when you were really scared.

It was especially bad at the beginning, when the USA carried out an attack in Venezuela at the beginning of January, and a picture of Greenland dressed in the American stars and stripes shortly after went viral with the words “SOON”.

- Then you stood there thinking, holy shit, is this it? says Fina Winberg and opens your eyes wide.

Malu Kajangmat nods. She thinks things have calmed down now.

- I don't really feel like you hear so much about it anymore, she says.

Fina Winberg agrees.

- It's calmer now. Our Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, has been really good. Also together with Lars Løkke, she says.

All that with Trump and the things that have happened since - has it affected how you will vote in the Danish general election?

- I haven't really read up on what I will vote for yet. But I will also have Trump in mind before I vote, Fina Winberg replies.

The past still hurts

When Malu Kajangmat votes on March 24, she will vote for one of the candidates who "doesn't just want to get rid of Denmark right away".

- I think we should still have contact with Denmark, be friends with them and stay in the realm, she says.

Fina Winberg agrees:

- The Folketing candidates from here should be able to keep what we already have. And not make any mess of it, she says.

At the same time, she thinks it is important that the people in the Folketing fight for the rights of the population and ensure that Greenland is treated with respect.

- Now we have of course gained Self-Government, which is also good, but we should have the right to our own country – while Denmark is also a part of it, says Fina Winberg.

Are there any issues that you think a new Danish government should focus on when it comes to Greenland?

- Now I know that Mette Frederiksen has been here to apologize for the spiral case, but the past still hurts, replies Fina Winberg.

She emphasizes that there are still many in this country who have difficulty with the way that Denmark has treated Greenland in the past.

Fina Winberg does not have the solution for what Denmark can do to try to make amends for the mistakes of the past.

- But in one way or another, I think we should be able to continue working, she says.

Do you think that the path that the current Danish government has been working towards has been good?

- Yes, I think it has gotten a little better, replies Malu Kajangmat.

- The fact that Mette Frederiksen came to apologize showed great respect, adds Fina Winberg.

Many young people are confused about the election

Recently, Malu Kajangmat and Fina Winberg's 2.G class had to do an opinion poll in one of their math classes.

They went around town and asked people who they would vote for if there were Parliamentary elections tomorrow. The class managed to collect around 18 votes together.

- The largest percentage went to Demokraatit, says Fina Winberg.

After this came Siumut with eight votes and Naleraq with four.

Neither Malu Kajangmant nor Fina Winberg know who they will vote for on March 24.

- Not at all. My parents don't know yet either, says Fina Winberg.

- I've talked to my father about it, but mostly because we think it's exciting. We haven't really talked about it any more than that. We don't really know what the candidates will do, says Malu Kajangmat and continues:

- So we're waiting for them to come out and tell us.

However, our friends expect that they will probably vote for Democratic.

- But both us and many other young people are very confused about what we should vote for. We don't really talk about it with each other yet – but I think that will change in the coming weeks, says Fina Winberg.

The chairs clatter against the floor as she and Malu Kajangmat get up from the table. Malu Kajangmat is going to work in the shoe store, but not until tonight. The sun is shining outside – if there had been enough snow, which there isn't, they would have probably gone skiing, says Fina Winberg.

What are you most looking forward to about having to vote?

- Just having a voice. And not just like in elementary school, where you had to vote for the student council, but that it is actually something important, says Fina Winberg.

Malu Kajangmat nods and kicks a semi-flat white balloon on the floor.

- That we can be a part of it, she adds.

- Part of the future, concludes Fina Winberg.