Polls open in Greenland as Trump seeks control of strategic island

Polls have opened in Greenland for early parliamentary elections as US President Donald Trump seeks control of the strategic Arctic island.

The self-governing region of Denmark is home to 56,000 people, most from indigenous Inuit backgrounds, and occupies a strategic North Atlantic location.

It also contains rare earth minerals key to driving the global economy.

Results

Unofficial election results should be available soon after polls close at 2200 GMT on Tuesday, but they will not be certified for weeks as ballot papers make their way to the capital, Nuuk, from remote settlements by boat, plane and helicopter.

While the island has been on a path towards independence since at least 2009, a break from Denmark is not on the ballot even though it is on everyone’s mind.

Instead, voters on Tuesday will elect 31 politicians who will shape the island’s debate on when and if to declare independence in the future.