Icelanders vote on restarting EU membership talks

Icelanders are voting today on whether to begin membership negotiations with the European Union, mbl.is reports. Recent opinion polls suggest the result could be close.

Polling stations opened across the country at 9am and will mostly remain open until 10pm. The National Registry is operating a telephone service during the vote, from 9am to 10pm.

Early signs point to strong turnout, based on figures from constituencies in Reykjavík. Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir said she was pleased to see people wanting to vote, while opposition leader Svandís Svavarsdóttir criticised the government’s handling of the referendum.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said she was optimistic and expressed confidence in the Icelandic people. She said voters could either support entering negotiations, seek a good agreement and then decide what to do, or set the EU debate aside, at least for now.

The ballot offers two choices: yes or no. Iceland’s membership negotiations with the EU have been on hold since 2013.