Polls open in Greenland for parliamentary elections as Trump seeks control of the strategic island

Polls have opened in Greenland for early parliamentary elections Tuesday as U.S. 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.

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

While the island has been on a path toward independence since at least 2009, a break from Denmark isn't on the ballot even though it's on everyone's mind. Voters on Tuesday will instead elect 31 lawmakers who will shape the island's debate on when and if to declare independence in the future.