Greenland’s residents go to the polls on Tuesday in a vote that in previous years, it was not drawn out of external attention, but it may prove to be pivotal for the future of the Arctic.

US President Donald Trump’s frequent interest in Greenland has firmly put it in the spotlight and nurtured long -term debate on the island’s future relations with Copenhagen.

“There has been no such light on Greenland before,” says Nougat Bianco, a Danish policy expert in the Arctic.

Greenland has been controlled by Denmark – about 3000 km (1860 miles) – for approximately 300 years. It governs its local affairs, but decisions are taken on foreign and defense policy in Copenhagen.

Now, five out of six parties in polling Greenland’s independence from Denmark are preferred, and it is only different from the extent of that.

Massana Edge, editor of the Greenland newspaper, told Greenland that the debate on independence was “put on doping by Trump.”

The strategic location of the island and the unexploited metal resources drew the attention of the American president. For the first time, the idea of ​​buying Greenland during his first term in 2019.

Since he took office again in January, he repeated his intention to obtain the region. Greenland and Denmark leaders have repeatedly rejected his demands.

Last week, the American Congress speech exhibition, Trump doubled again. He said: “We need Greenland for national security. In one way or another we will get it,” which prompted applause and laughter from a number of politicians, including Vice President JD Vance.

In Nuk, his words struck nerves with the politicians who rushed to condemn them. “We deserve to deal with respect and I do not think that the US President did so recently since he took office,” Prime Minister Cote Eddie said.

However, the American interest has given Greenland’s calls to separate from Denmark, where it focused a lot of discussion on when – it should not – the independence process.

Nougat Bianco notes that the goal of Greenland’s independence is not new, and it has been contracts for making it.

A series of revealing the previous ill -treatment of the people of Ingence by the Danish people to harm public opinion in Greenland around Denmark. Earlier this year, PM EGEDE said that the region should free itself from “colonial restrictions”.

But this is the first time that the issue has occupied the position of the lead in the elections.

Ataqatigiit (IA), Prime Minister Mute EageDE party, prefers gradual steps towards autonomy. “Citizens must feel safe,” he told local media.

The Arctic expert Martin Breum says that EGEDE’s dealing with the challenge of Trump and strong words against Denmark because of the past colonial errors “will give him many voices.”

Smaller competitors can also gain land and may shake alliances.

The opposition party Naleraq immediately wants divorce procedures from Copenhagen and has a closer defense dealings with Washington.

Pointing to Greenland in the European Union and Brexit, party leader Pele Bruce said that Greenland could be “from the Danish kingdom three years ago.”

Naleraq offers the largest number of candidates and gained momentum by riding a wave of discontent with Denmark.

“Naleraq will also be a greater factor in Parliament.”.

However, the center -right Demokraatit believes it is too too pressure for independence.

“The economy must be much stronger than it is today,” party candidate Justos Hansen told Reuters.

Greenland’s economy is driven by fishing, and government spending depends on annual benefits from Denmark.

Massana Eugen newspaper, newspaper editor, says that talking about Trump and independence has overwhelmed the other major issues of voters.

“It is elections in which we should talk about health care, elderly and social care. Almost everything is related to independence.”

According to recent opinion polls, approximately 80 % of the rear Greenlanders move towards the future country.

About 44,000 people are qualified to vote, and given the low numbers and some surveys, the results are difficult to predict.

Although the majority of Greenland prefer independence, Wipe This half will be less enthusiastic about independence if that means lower living standards.

Survey polls found that 85 % of Greenland did not want to become part of the United States, and that half of nearly half of them see Trump’s interest as a threat.

Massana Edge says that one of the fear between some Greenlands is the time when the Arctic Island can remain independent and whether it will only start from Denmark because there is another country on our coast and start taking it. “

Experts say it is this anxiety that can direct voices towards maintaining the status quo.

Although Greenland’s right to self -determination stipulates the law under the 2009 autonomy law, there are several steps that must be taken before the region can separate from Denmark, including the referendum.

This means that obtaining full independence may take “about 10 to 15 years,” says Kaj Klest, a veteran politician in Greenland and a civilian employee who prepared the law of self -base.

“There is a lot of preparation and negotiations with the Danish government before it can achieve this.”

Whatever the election results, experts do not believe that Greenland can become independent before the end of Trump’s second term in 2028.

The results are expected in the early hours of Wednesday.