Protests are expected outside Iceland’s parliament later today for the fourth day, following plans by the government to withdraw Iceland from EU membership talks. The group ‘Við viljum kjósa #vor14’ (‘We want to vote #spring14’) has invited people to protest from 5 pm, visir.is reports.
The majority of members in the parliamentary groups of both ruling coalition parties voted in favor of stopping European Union membership talks last week.
The decision received widespread criticism with many arguing that the nation should have the chance to vote on the matter in a national referendum, as the party’s chairman, Bjarni Benediktsson, promised before last year’s general election.
The parliamentary debate on the issue is ongoing.
According to the latest poll, more than half of Icelanders want to continue the talks with the European Union. Close to 37,000, or 15 percent of voters in Iceland, have signed a petition calling for a national referendum.
EU talks were put on hold indefinitely after the current government took power last year.
