We Are Placing Our Faith in the Hands of a President With Contempt for Democracy Comment: The US warship USSGerald R. Ford hassailed into the Oslofjord once again. This reminds the rest of the country that we must prepare for war. Yet, the voyage into a fjord usually filled with cruise boats and pleasure yachts is also a story about us placing our faith in the hands of a president with dramatically different values from ours.
High Noon 2025: Northern Debate on Svalbard, Tax Cuts, Norway Seen From Russia, and Dictatorship Next week, the debate series High Noon will take place during the True Northern Arts Festival in Northern Norway. This year's edition addresses questions under the headline 'Everything is about security' – and offers strong voices from arts and culture, politics and business, research and journalism, as well as defense.
The Fascists, Autocrats, and Dictators Looking to Ruin Our Democracy Are Creeping Closer Comment: It is not the fear of a military war in the Arctic that frightens me most. It is the increasingly extensive attack on our democracies that keeps me awake at night. The war is already underway and will not be stopped by expanding weapon arsenals.
Greenland Election: Demokraatit Emerges as the Island’s Largest Political Party Over 28,000 Greenlanders have voted for a significant new composition of their parliament, Inatsisartut. The government formation process is now led by Demokraatit, which won the most votes. There is a majority in parliament for Greenlandic independence in the longer term.
Greenlanders Vote in a Momentous Election: Six Parties Compete for 31 Seats Today, March 11, the people of Greenland elect their representatives to the Greenlandic parliament, Inatsisartut. In and around the election are major questions about the island's future, both in relation to the Kingdom of Denmark and Donald Trump's USA.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, From Democracy to Aristocracy of Officials? Comment, Longyearbyen: I borrow some life experience from a friend living a varied life in Longyearbyen. "There have been some downs," he said, adding, "But there sure have been some uphills as well." Surveys show that the local population is happy in the town, while the business sector struggles in a near-endless bureaucratic anthill.
An Unworthy Game Exploiting the World's Refugees Comment: Extreme right parties are on the rise across central parts of Europe. Most recently in Austria. What are the chances for the rest of Europe to hold off? And what happens when traditional democratic parties meet the extreme on their home court?
Amund Sjølie Sveen: Uses Art As Testing Ground for Major Political Ideas and Critique of Power Harstad (High North News): For ten years, Amund Sjølie Sveen has traveled the Arctic with Nordting – a people's movement and an artistic-political project. With political analyses, critical takes on power, and referendums – with supplementary sing-alongs, dancing, and vodka – Nordting offers a democratic arena to explore a different world.
New Year’s Resolution: More Conversations With People Who Disagree With Me Commentary: The US is singing Christmas carols with a presidential candidate who gathers inspiration from Adolf Hitler in his electoral speeches. It does not really help that Donald Trump insists that he has not read "Mein Kampf."
Tromsø Will Be the First Arctic European Youth Capital Tromsø in Northern Norway has been awarded the title of European Youth Capital 2026 with the concept "True North". "We will show that young people from the Arctic are of key strategic importance for Europe," says Luna Drecker, leader of the Tromsø Youth Council.
Svalbard: While Temperatures Rise, Relations Between People Grow Cold Commentary: Climate changes make the Arctic dangerously hot. On a human level, politician-made changes make relations between people cooler than before. The Norwegian neo-nationalism in Svalbard stirs surprisingly little debate.
