Kuupik Kleist facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kuupik Vandersee Kleist
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Kleist in 2008
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| 4th Prime Minister of Greenland | |
| In office 12 June 2009 – 5 April 2013 |
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| Monarch | Margrethe II |
| Preceded by | Hans Enoksen |
| Succeeded by | Aleqa Hammond |
| Chairman of the OCT for Greenland |
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| In office 23 January 2012 – 25 September 2012 |
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| Deputy | Jens B. Frederiksen |
| Leader of the Inuit Ataqatigiit | |
| In office 10 June 2007 – 31 March 2014 |
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| Deputy | Aqqaluaq B. Egede |
| Preceded by | Josef Motzfeldt |
| Succeeded by | Sara Olsvig |
| Member of the Greenlandic Parliament | |
| Assumed office 8 February 2002 |
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| Member of the Danish Parliament | |
| In office 20 November 2001 – 13 November 2007 |
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| Member of the Greenlandic Parliament | |
| In office 1995–1996 |
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| Minister of Public Works and Transport | |
| In office 1991–1995 |
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| Prime Minister | Lars Emil Johansen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jakob Edvard Kuupik Kleist
31 March 1958 Qullissat, County of Greenland, Denmark |
| Citizenship | Kingdom of Denmark |
| Nationality | Greenlandic |
| Political party | Inuit Ataqatigiit |
| Spouse |
Aviaaja Vandersee
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Makka Kleist (cousin) |
| Alma mater | University of Roskilde |
| Website | ia.gl/kuupik-kleist |
Jakob Edvard Kuupik Kleist was born on March 31, 1958. He is a well-known politician from Greenland. He served as the fourth Prime Minister of Greenland from 2009 to 2013. He was a member of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party. He was also the first prime minister who was not from the Siumut party. Since 2018, he has been the first chairman of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund.
Early Life and Education
Kuupik Kleist was born in Qullissat on Disko Island. His father was Danish and worked as a telegraphist. His mother was Greenlandic. He was raised by his aunt and uncle.
He went to primary school in Qullissat from 1966 to 1972. After the mining town was closed, he attended lower secondary school in Sisimiut until 1975. When he was 17, he moved to Denmark. He did not know Danish before moving there. He studied at the Birkerød State School in Denmark from 1975 to 1978. In 1983, Kleist earned a master's degree in social work from Roskilde University. From 1988 to 1991, he taught journalism in Nuuk.
Political Career
In 1996, Kleist became the Director of the Foreign Office for the Greenland Home Rule Government. This government manages Greenland's internal affairs.
He was a member of the Danish Parliament from November 20, 2001, to November 13, 2007. He represented the Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) party. The IA party was the first to lead Greenland under a new "self-rule" agreement. This agreement gave Greenland more control over its own affairs. While some saw this as a step towards full independence from Denmark, Kleist's government focused on important social issues.
Becoming Prime Minister
Since 2007, Kuupik Kleist has been the leader of the IA party. This is a left-leaning political party that aims for Greenland to eventually become fully independent from Denmark. In the 2009 election, his party received the most votes.
In June 2009, the Greenlandic parliament chose Kleist as the fifth Prime Minister of Greenland. He also won many personal votes in the election, showing strong support from the public.
In August 2009, Prime Minister Kleist met with important military leaders. He met with Admiral Tim Sloth Jørgensen from Denmark and General Walter Natynczyk from Canada. They were visiting Danish and Canadian military bases in the Arctic region.
See also
In Spanish: Kuupik Kleist para niños
- Greenlandic independence
