Voting in Iceland's referendum on resuming European Union membership negotiations officially closed on Saturday. Polling stations have shut, but it may take several hours to determine the winner in the showdown between supporters and opponents.
The referendum had no exit polls, and counting only began after polling stations closed. According to prior opinion surveys, the result is expected to be very tight, with support and opposition almost evenly split and neither side more than a few points away from the 50/50 mark.
The referendum takes place 13 years after Iceland, under a eurosceptic government, paused its EU accession talks. The country is now governed by the pro-EU Social Democratic Alliance, which called for the referendum and has pledged to respect the people's decision.
If Icelanders vote 'yes,' the Nordic nation could begin multi-year negotiations with Brussels to agree on membership terms. A second referendum would then be held on whether to formally join the EU.
Key issues ahead of the vote included security concerns, Iceland's relatively slow-growing economy, and the future of the króna, the national currency.
