Iceland seeks EU membership

Iceland’s government has asked its parliament for permission to begin negotiating the crisis-hit nation’s entry into the European Union.

The country’s new left-leaning government, voted in after the collapse of Iceland’s debt-laden economy last year, is pushing for membership in the EU as a way of guaranteeing the country’s financial future.

But many independent-minded Icelanders remain opposed to EU membership, including some in the Left Green Movement, which forms a little less than half of Iceland’s ruling coaltion.

However, elements in the opposition are thought to be sympathetic to membership talks.

The draft resolution presented to parliament yesterday, says Icelanders would vote on any EU deal in a referendum.