Greenland voters overwhelmingly approved a plan for more autonomy from Denmark and take advantage of potential oil reserves off the glacial island’s coast, official results showed Wednesday.
The Arctic island’s election commission said 76 percent voted "yes" in the non-binding referendum Tuesday on extending home rule, while 24 percent voted "no."
The plan, which is supported by Denmark, calls for the small, mostly Inuit population to take control over the local police force, courts and coast guard and to make Greenlandic, an Inuit tongue, the official language.
It also sets new rules on how to split any future oil revenue between Greenland and Denmark.
Tuesday’s referendum was seen as a key step toward independence for the semiautonomous territory, which relies on Danish subsidies to sustain its economy.
"The tears are running down my cheeks," Greenland Premier Hans Enoksen said, calling the outcome historic."
"We have said ‘yes’ to the right of self-determination, and with this we have accepted a great responsibility," said Enoksen, who put his fists up in the air in a sign of victory as it became clear the "yes" side would win.
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