No camp takes narrow lead in Iceland EU vote

Iceland’s no camp has taken a narrow lead in a referendum on whether to restart membership talks with the European Union, mbl.is reported. The latest figures show 50.1 per cent voting no and 49.9 per cent voting yes.

Final results are beginning to arrive from polling boxes, with more votes still being counted. The vote has been closely watched by international media, and Politico described the result as too close to call.

In the Northeast constituency, figures from 15,000 counted votes showed 6,087 votes, or 41 per cent, in favour of restarting talks and 8,750, or 59 per cent, against. There were 90 blank ballots and 73 invalid ballots.

In the South constituency, 22,189 votes had been counted. Of these, 8,636, or 39.2 per cent, were in favour and 13,397, or 60.8 per cent, were against. The constituency has 42,136 registered voters.

The lead for the yes side had narrowed in Reykjavík’s northern and southern constituencies as the count progressed.