英国开始公投，决定是否留在欧盟

Voting began Thursday in Britain’s historic election that by the end of the day will decide whether the country remains in the European Union.

As voters went to polling stations, public opinion polls showed the two sides in a dead heat.

Turnout was expected to be high, culminating a bitter, two-month campaign that centered largely on immigration, a highly sensitive and divisive issue in a nation whose immigration rate has doubled since 2000.

Prime Minister David Cameron has led the call to remain. On Thursday, he made a final pitch to convince undecided voters. “We are stronger, we are better off in a reformed European Union,” he said. Cameron and other opponents of a Brexit say Britain’s economy will be badly damaged if it breaks away from the 28-nation bloc.

Analysts say Cameron’s political future hangs in the balance depending on the outcome of the poll. If the voters’ decision Thursday is to leave the EU, pundits say Cameron will lose his mandate and have little choice but to resign, something the British leader has until now said he will not do.

选民前往投票站之际，民调显示留欧派和脱欧派势均力敌。

预计投票人数会很多。两个月来，两派之间的激烈辩论主要围绕着高度敏感并引发分歧的移民问题。自2000年以来，英国的移民速度增加了一倍。

卡梅伦首相是留欧派的领袖。星期四，他做了最后努力，争取说服尚未拿定主意的选民。他说，留在一个经过改革的欧盟，英国会更好更强大。卡梅伦和其他反对脱欧的人士说，如果英国脱离拥有28个成员国的欧盟，经济将遭受严重损失。

分析人士说，卡梅伦的政治前途将取决于星期四的公投结果，如果脱欧派赢得公投，卡梅伦几乎别无选择，只能辞职，但卡梅伦一直表示不会辞职。