REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Voters in Iceland went to the polls Saturday to decide whether the country should resume long-stalled negotiations to become a member of the European Union, in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to control nearby Greenland.

The yes-or-no referendum question is simple enough for the 265,000 or so eligible voters: Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?

A yes vote would trigger negotiations with the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, covering 35 areas, from the economy to human rights. Some supporters believe the European Union could offer protections if Trump ever made similar threats against Iceland. They also see economic stability in joining the bloc.

If voters reject the proposal, that’s it, for a generation at least. Opponents have rallied around the threat EU membership would pose to Iceland’s rich fishing stocks and the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone.

Experts expect a close vote.

More than 20% of voters cast early ballots in advance of election day, Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV said.

“This has been a tight race, extremely exciting,” said Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, whose platform was based in part on rejoining the EU, after she voted. “It’s lifted discussions about the EU, about Iceland’s place in the world, about our general geopolitical situation and status to a higher level.”

Nearby Greenland casts a shadow over referendum

When Trump talked about U.S. control of Greenland, particularly at the start of this year, he shifted the mood in Iceland, just 180 miles (290 km) from the self-governing territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally. Some Icelanders were particularly alarmed when he mistakenly named their country four times while speaking about his designs on Greenland.

Though Trump has indicated he won’t use force to seize Greenland, his interest doesn’t appear to have cooled.

The underlying worry among many in Iceland is clear — if Greenland is seized, is Iceland next?

The ensuing question is clear too: if yes, does EU membership provide a bulwark against any new Trump ambition in the North Atlantic?

Iceland’s left-leaning coalition government, elected in 2024, certainly thinks so, and that’s largely why it moved forward with the EU referendum that it had planned for next year.

After more than a decade, EU membership is back on the agenda

EU talk is nothing new in Iceland, which formally ended its previous effort to join the bloc in 2015, largely over concerns about what membership would mean for its rich fish resources.

The hefty cod and haddock catches from the chilled Arctic waters around Iceland are central to the national identity too. Descendants of Vikings who settled in Iceland have lived off the sea for centuries.

With much of the country’s economy geared toward its lucrative and well-managed fishing industry, fishing rights have been a talking point in the run-up to the referendum.

Joining the 27-nation EU would require Iceland to be part of the bloc’s common fisheries policy that would allow Spanish, Dutch and other trawlers into its waters. The government has indicated it would seek a special arrangement, potentially a full opt-out from the policy.

If the vote is approved, it would not be the final say for Iceland. Voters would then have to either approve or reject the membership agreement it negotiates.

Fish is not just an economic matter; it’s part of the national identity

For many, Iceland’s national identity and ultimately its culture is on the ballot too.

Iceland, which gained independence from Denmark in 1944, has a proud history of refusing to be pushed around by bigger and richer European nations. It even fought — and won — the so-called Cod Wars with Britain in the 1970s over its fishing grounds.

Backers of EU membership say it’s best for Iceland to get closer to its European neighbors to combat issues that don’t respect borders, such as climate change. They also say the euro would bring more stability than Iceland’s volatile króna currency and EU membership would lower inflation and interest rates.

“Being in good connection and good relations with Europe is absolutely the best thing that Iceland has ever done and should continue,” Haukur Hallsson said after voting in favor of EU discussions. “Iceland should definitely look more to Europe than the White House at this moment.”

Opponents say the current setup is just right and that Iceland already enjoys all the benefits of European integration without the sovereignty compromises that inevitably come with full membership. They say their vote in Europe’s Parliament would be small and they prefer to cut some of their own trade deals, such as one with China.

Agust Hallvardsson said he voted against the measure because the independence of Iceland’s fisheries and agriculture is vital.

“What’s happening in the EU is not to my liking,” Hallvardsson said. “It’s like a big burning ship. I think they need to, you know, put their things right before we join them. And I think we’re better off alone.”

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Melley reported from London. Pan Pylas contributed to this story.

Kwiyeon Ha And Brian Melley, The Associated Press