Icelanders vote on whether they want to join the EU
Icelandic voters have participated in a referendum to decide whether the country should restart negotiations to join the European Union. The results are currently too close to call, highlighting deep divisions over sovereignty, fishing rights, and economic policy.
Why it matters
The outcome could significantly alter the geopolitical and economic landscape of the Nordic region and the EU's expansion strategy.
Voters in the tiny Nordic nation of Iceland cast their ballots on Saturday on whether to restart talks on the country joining the European Union.
Polls closed at 10:00 p.m. local time and early results indicate an extremely tight race, according to RÚV , Iceland's broadcaster. Hours after the last votes were cast, the "yes" camp was narrowly leading, it reported.
This is not the first time Iceland has considered joining the EU. The government was in talks with the EU was back in 2013. Iceland had just come out of a financial meltdown, after the global economic crisis. Talks stalled in part because Icelanders worried they would lose sovereign control over their fisheries, their largest export.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in