Lars-Emil Johansen (born 24 September 1946) is a Greenlandic politician who served as the second
prime minister of Greenland
The prime minister of Greenland ( kl, Naalakkersuisut siulittaasuat, ; da, Landsstyreformand), officially the premier of Greenland,Speaker of the Inatsisartut from 2013 to 2018.
Johansen was chairman of the political party ''Siumut'' ( Forward) between 1987 and 1997, seated in the ''Landsting'' from its creation in 1979. Prior to the creation of the ''Landsting'', he represented Greenland in the
Parliament of Denmark
The Folketing ( da, Folketinget, ; ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark—Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands ...
from 1973, a position he regained in 2001 and held until 2011. He was also President of the West Nordic Council from 2015 to 2016.
Early life
He was born in
Illorsuit
Illorsuit (; old spelling: ''Igdlorssuit'') is a former settlement in Avannaata municipality, in western Greenland. Located on the northeastern shore of Illorsuit Island − northwest of Uummannaq at the mouth of the Uummannaq Fjord − the settl ...
, a small settlement near
Uummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Avannaata municipality, in central-western Greenland. With 1,407 inhabitants in 2020, it is the eighth-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal. Founded in 1763 as Omenak, t ...
in the
Qaasuitsup
400px, Clockwise from top left: Ukkusissat, Upernavik, Ilulissat Icefjord">Upernavik.html" ;"title="Ukkusissat, Upernavik">Ukkusissat, Upernavik, Ilulissat Icefjord, Uummannaq
Qaasuitsup (, ''Place of Polar Darkness'') was a Municipalities of ...
municipality, as son of commercial agent Kristian Johansen and district midwife Elisabeth Johansen;. Retrieved on 2017-03-20. his mother had been the first female country council member from 1959 to 1975.
In 1970, Johansen finished his education as a teacher, and the following year he was elected for the Greenland country council, the most powerful local authority in Greenland prior to the creation of the Landsting.
He has been appointed a Commander of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog and the
Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Norwegian: ''Den Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden'' (Bokmål) or ''Den Kongelege Norske Fortenesteordenen'' (Nynorsk)) was instituted by King Olav V in 1985. It is awarded to foreigners, Norwegian citizens livi ...
, as well as two types of the
Nersornaat
Greenland Medal for Meritorious Service ( kl, Nersornaat, lit=Deserved; da, Grønlands Hjemmestyres Fortjenstmedalje), is awarded by the Greenland Home Rule government. It is the highest award based in Greenland. The medal was instituted on 1 May ...
, the silver Nersornaat and the golden Nersornaat (the Greenland Medal for Meritorious Service).
Order of Dannebrog, Knight Commander of the Norwegian Star.