DTNZ: Greenland wants independence – PM

The Greenlandic people do not want to be either Danish or American, Prime Minister Mute Egede has said.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede has reiterated the island’s ambition to gain independence from Denmark, stating that the Greenlandic people do not want to be either Danish or American.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: The meaning of independence

A major part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s itinerary while in Europe this week included speaking at the NATO leaders’ summit in Spain. And what a good, powerful speech it was.

An invitation to the Western defence alliance’s summit is unusual. It is even more unusual to invite four guests at the same time. Australia, Japan, and South Korea were also attending.

Australia, Japan, and South Korea have strong links to NATO, not least because of their closer relationship with the United States.

Meanwhile, since 1984, New Zealand has maintained an ‘independent foreign policy’ mantra. So is there a contradiction with the Prime Minister’s participation in Madrid?

Melanie Phillips: A referendum should be for the whole nation

 

The Scots have no right to amputate the UK

Once again, Scottish nationalism is on the march.

The Scottish National Party wants another referendum on independence from the rest of the UK. A referendum on this was held in 2014, when on a turnout of more than 84 per cent more than 55 per cent of voters said “no” and almost 45 per cent said “yes”. 

Barend Vlaardingerbroek: Catalonia and the growing clamour for ‘external self-determination’

Pro-independence Catalans would have the world believe that they have a democratic right to secession. Not so.

It’s not a matter of democracy when a group of like-minded people agree amongst themselves about what they want, even when they dress their demands up in what appears democratic garb such as an entre-nous ‘referendum’ [with no legal standing].