Icelanders have been called to vote on whether to resume negotiations to join the European Union, or shelve the prospect of full membership for the foreseeable future.
The August 29 vote has been framed by the Icelandic government as a "now or never" opportunity to embrace the prospect of EU membership, or maintain the country's status quo in the European Economic Area, a position that guarantees Reykjavík access to the European single market but not a seat at Brussels' table.
Crucially, the referendum will only decide whether Iceland resumes talks with Brussels. Any decision to formally join the EU could require a second referendum, potentially as early as 2028.
"It is quite clear that this vote is about getting a mandate to negotiate," Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said in the national parliament in May. "I do not think we should be getting hung up on rhetoric here. We are going to conclude a good agreement. The people will have the first say in this and they will have the last say in this."
Euronews breaks down what happens in both scenarios.
