Independence an issue in Greenland parliamentary election
COPENHAGEN — Voters in Greenland went to the polls yesterday for a parliamentary election that has featured discussion on what the sparsely populated Arctic island needs to do to become independent from Denmark.
Residents of the semi-independent Danish territory harbor hopes of independence, but know the economy, which depends mainly on fisheries, needs to improve.
Another debated issue in the election for the 31-seat parliament is upgrading three airports to allow international flights land in Greenland and therefore increase tourism.
Prime Minister Kim Kielsen's center-left Siumut party said during the campaign that English, not Danish, should be taught as a second language in schools to allow the island's 56,000 inhabitants become more international.
Recent polls have Kielsen's party neck-and-neck with the left-leaning Inuit Ataqatigiit. They are likely to form a governing coalition.
Voting stations close at 8 p.m. (1800GMT) and full results are expected Wednesday.
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