Polls opened on Tuesday for Greenlanders to elect their 31 lawmakers who will shape policy on the strategic Arctic island.
Greenland opens its polls for parliamentary elections on Tuesday. The Arctic island has been in the spotlight for the past few weeks as US President Donald Trumps seeks its control.
Home to 56,000 people the independent region of Denmark occupies a strategic location in the North Atlantic halfway between the US and Russia, and contains rare earth mineral primal in driving the global economy.
Unofficial election results are expected soon after 22:00 GMT Tuesday when polls will close, however ballot papers arriving by plane, boat and helicopter from remote areas of the country will be awaited to give official results.
Voters will elect 31 lawmakers to the Inatsisartut, Greenland’s parliament and seats will be distributed based on the share of votes each party receives.
Several parties are participating in the election including the left-wing party, Inuit Ataqatigiit, led by incumbent Prime Minister Mute Bourup, and the Siumut which has led parliament in the past.
Lawmakers carry the crucial role of making decisions for the island’s future and have the opportunity to initiate a debate on declaring independence in the future from Denmark.
If Greenland were to become independent, it would rank as the world’s 12th-largest country by land area—a vast expanse now drawing increased attention.
Open for business, but not for sale
Greenlanders are well aware of their island’s rich resources and hope that rare earth minerals can help diversify an economy where government jobs account for 40% of employment.
However, strict environmental regulations protect much of the island, which remains largely covered by ice year-round. The harsh climate raises questions about whether mineral extraction is commercially viable.
Opinion polls indicate that most Greenlanders support independence. While they generally have no ill will toward Americans—often citing good relations with the local Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Force Base, where US military personnel have been stationed since 1951—they show no interest in becoming part of the United States.
Even among local Trump’s supporters, the belief in Greenland’s right to self-determination remains strong. Their mantra is clear: Greenland is open for business, but not for sale.
Last week speaking of Greenland to the US Congress Trump stated “I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it,”.
“The situation has changed because of Trump and because of the world,” said Doris Jensen, a representative of the social democratic Siumut party, who has always supported independence. “So we have decided in our party that we have to do (it) more quickly.”
Trump’s interest in Greenland has shifted what was once a strictly local democratic process into an international spectacle. The presence of journalists from as far as Japan and Croatia serves as a vivid reminder that these are anything but ordinary times for the world’s biggest island.
