[2] Former Siumut leader and Prime Minister Jonathan Motzfeldt failed to be re-elected for the first time since 1971, receiving just 91 votes .

[4] Siumut was believed to have lost votes over a series of scandals, including one over expenses, and concerns over its ability to manage with greater autonomy.

The party stood on a platform of huge spending reductions and opposed Greenland rejoining the EU.

Siumut was considered likely to be left out of government as both the Inuit Ataqatigiit and Demokraatit parties ruled out the possibility of working with them.

[4] On 7 June 2009 Inuit Ataqatigiit announced that it would form a coalition with the Democrats and the Association of Candidates.