Icelanders are voting on Saturday in a referendum on whether the country should resume negotiations to join the European Union, according to The Guardian and other outlets. The vote is being described as a close race, with the outcome uncertain as polls opened.
The referendum asks voters whether the government should restart talks on EU membership, a process Iceland previously abandoned. The Guardian reports that the campaign has centered on key issues including national sovereignty, agricultural policy, and fishing rights, which are major economic and cultural concerns for the island nation.
The vote comes amid a broader geopolitical context, with CNN reporting that the decision is being weighed "under the shadow of Trump." The New York Times notes that the question of EU membership is being considered by several countries, with some potentially looking to join the bloc rather than leave it. Sky News confirms that Icelanders have headed to the polls for the referendum.
Iceland previously applied for EU membership in 2009 following the financial crisis but later halted negotiations. The current vote is non-binding, but it is expected to guide the government's next steps on the issue. Polling ahead of the vote suggested a tight contest between supporters and opponents of resuming talks, according to the BBC.
The outcome of the referendum will determine whether the Icelandic government formally moves to restart negotiations with Brussels. A "yes" vote would not immediately make Iceland an EU member, but it would set the process in motion. A "no" vote would likely keep the current arrangement in place, with Iceland remaining part of the European Economic Area.
Results are expected after the polls close, and the count will be watched closely across Europe as a signal of the bloc's continued appeal in the Nordic region.
