Copenhagen/Nuuk, Greenland - Voters on Greenland, the world's largest island, went to the polls Tuesday to elect a new self-rule parliament.

Opinion polls prior to the elections suggest a possible shake-up of Greenlandic politics with the Siumut party losing its hold on government.

The island, with a population of just under 60,000, is part of the kingdom of Denmark.

The Social Democratic party has dominated the political scene for the past three decades, but has been impacted by a series of claims scandals and abuse of public funds that could result in a loss of power.

The party has ruled with its conservative allies Atassut for the past four-year period and had 17 seats in the outgoing legislature.

Some surveys suggested that the leftist Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) could double their 9 seats, and IA leader Kuupik Kleist has said his party is willing to form a coalition with all other parties except Siumut for the coming four years.

"We will not even rule out staying in opposition. We would perhaps have made a different assessment if Siumut had signalled they wanted new policies but that has not happened," Kleist was quoted as telling the Sermitsiaq newspaper.

Siumut and IA have exchanged bitter remarks during the campaign, but Greenland Premier Hans Enoksen of Siumut told KNR radio on Monday that his party was willing to work for a broad government.

Enoksen who has been premier since 2002 called the early elections in April, saying voters should have a say over who should rule Greenland as it enters a new era with more autonomy within Denmark.

Some 39,000 people were eligible to vote, and final results were due Wednesday.

The sparsely populated Arctic island of some 56,000 people is on June 21 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of home rule and on that day the new, enhanced self-rule bill approved last year is to come into effect.

The plan approved in November 2008 would give Greenland partial control over its natural resources and allow it to take greater charge of justice and legal affairs.

Under the terms agreed upon between the parliaments of Denmark and Greenland, Danish subsidies, known as the block grant are to remain. (dpa)