Autonomy development, irredentism and secessionism in a Nordic context

Abstract

This contribution focuses on the three Nordic autonomous islands: the Åland Islands, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, and their path towards autonomy and the development of their own party systems. It focuses on the way mobilisation patterns have developed within the three jurisdictions and how the relationships towards their metropolitan states (Finland and Denmark, respectively) have evolved during a period of administrative and political devolution. The Åland Islands have experienced a slower process towards increasing autonomy than the Danish islands, which are now both heading towards independence. The reasons behind this are considered in the light of historical factors, the different models of autonomy and the existence of irredentist and/or secessionist movements.

Keywords:

• Åland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• Greenland
• autonomy
• irredentism
• secessionism

Notes

The decisive factor of statehood is the presence of exclusive political power over a clearly defined territory – not the existence of a historically specific ‘nation’. The correct denomination of the modern state is therefore ‘territorial state’ rather than ‘nation’.

In addition to the independence parties, it is also possible to identify another group of parties whose goal is to breakaway from a metropolitan state, namely irredentist parties. Irredentist movements seek to re-draw existing borders in order to transfer their region's statehood to a neighbouring kin-state with a language and culture more in line with their own identity. The historical backdrop of several European autonomies is in fact this type of movements. This applies, for example, to the Åland Islands, which is examined in more detail later on in this paper.

The Telegraph, 6 May 2011: Scottish Election 2011 (see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/scottish-politics/8495468/Scottish-Election-2011-results-map.html).

From March 2011 Moderaterna på Åland.

For election results in the Faroe Islands (2011), see http://electionresources.org/dk/fo/.

For election results in Greenland (2011), see http://cms.inatsisartut.gl/inatsisartuthome/valgresultater?lang=da.

A typical example is the political process behind the decision that Åland has to bear the full economic burden of EU fines based on the financial viability of the Finnish economy as a whole. Despite protests and suggestions of compromise from Åland, the Finnish government went ahead with such a proposal in 2002. Two years later Helsinki was given a formal approval for this proposal from the Åland Parliament without any further protests or reservations (Lagtinget, 2004).

Indeed, it was the leading representatives of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland who led the offensive in the League of Nations against an Åland reunion with Sweden (Barros, 1968; Salminen, 1979).

Around 20 per cent of Åland's residents are born in metropolitan Finland. Most of these Finnish immigrants originate from the Swedish language minority.

Among the various sources of territorial identity, language seems to be the most prominent. According to one of Britain's most distinguished scholars of modern European history a common language is of critical importance for the development of ‘political self-identification’ (Beloff, 1992: 112), and thus also for a successful political mobilisation for autonomy or independence.

Over 30 per cent of Åland's population consists of immigrants. A majority of the immigrants are of Finnish origins, but there is also a rapidly growing immigrant group from Sweden and a number of other countries around the world. Indeed, the immigrants in Åland currently represent nearly 90 countries and speak over 50 different languages (ÅSUB, 2009b).

For an analysis of ‘associated states’ (or ‘federacies’) with a quasi-federal structure, see Watts (2009).

The party almost quintupled its electorate, from 4.1 to 19.0 per cent. The two largest parties received only marginally more support than the True Finns, 19.1% (the Social Democrats) and 20.4% (Samlingspartiet: a centre-right party). See http://www.stat.fi/til/evaa/2011/evaa_2011_2011-04-18_tie_001_sv.html.

Editorial, Tidningen Åland, 2011 .