Iceland will hold a referendum this Saturday, August 29, to decide whether the country should resume accession talks to join the European Union. The ballot focuses specifically on reopening negotiations to join the trading bloc rather than serving as a final vote on membership itself.
Recent polling suggests the result will be close, as the gap between the two camps continues to steadily close. For the first time, the latest data shows that opponents of resuming talks are slightly ahead of proponents.
The vote takes place in an era of great power politics for the island, a neighbor of Greenland. This referendum is viewed as a significant test of the European Union's relevance in a changing world.