Icelanders go to polls in EU membership talks referendum
Iceland is holding a referendum to decide whether to resume EU membership negotiations, a process frozen since 2015. The vote is influenced by both domestic economic concerns and geopolitical tensions, including recent threats from the US regarding Greenland.
Why it matters
The outcome could significantly alter Iceland's economic sovereignty and its geopolitical alignment within the North Atlantic region.
Voters in Iceland are taking part in a referendum on whether or not to revive membership talks with the European Union, more than a decade after they were frozen.
The coalition government brought forward the referendum following US President Donald Trump's threat to seize nearby Greenland.
Polling stations opened at 9am local time and will close at 10pm, with the first indications expected before midnight.
The campaign has been incredibly tight, with tiny margins for both the 'No' and 'Yes' camps. The latest Gallup poll put the No side ahead with 51.6% of the vote.
A separate poll earlier this week put the 'Yes' side in front with 51.3%.
The referendum is about whether Iceland should unfreeze accession talks that a former Eurosceptic coalition unilaterally ended in 2015.
While Mr Trump’s designs on Greenland have given the referendum intense geopolitical focus, the campaign has been dominated by domestic issues.
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