Residents of Greenland are heading to the polls on Tuesday in a vote that could be pivotal for the Arctic territory’s future. The US President Donald Trump’s repeated interest in acquiring Greenland has drawn significant attention and fuelled the long-standing debate on the island’s future ties with Copenhagen.

Greenland has been controlled by Denmark for about 300 years and governs its own domestic affairs, but decisions on foreign and defense policy are made in Copenhagen. Five out of six parties on the ballot favor Greenland’s independence from Denmark, with only differing opinions on how quickly it should occur.

Trump’s interest in the territory, attributing its strategic location and untapped mineral resources, has increased calls for Greenland to break away from Denmark. Prime Minister Mute Egede and other politicians have denounced Trump calling for respect and pushing for a more gradual transition towards autonomy.

Opposition party Naleraq wants to immediately kick-off divorce proceedings from Copenhagen and establish closer defense dealings with Washington. The election results are difficult to forecast, with about 44,000 people eligible to vote and few polls available to analyze public opinion.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4236e2wz2o