UPDATE Iceland Voters Reject Restarting EU Membership Talks Picture courtesy of ABC News Icelandic voters have rejected a referendum that would have restarted accession negotiations with the European Union, more than a decade after previous talks ended, the national broadcaster RÚV reported on Sunday. The result will settle the issue for the second time, after a eurosceptic government ended EU negotiations in 2015. The referendum was backed by the government elected in 2024, but opposition campaigns said full membership would require trade-offs over sovereignty despite Iceland already benefiting from parts of EU membership. Result Shows Clear Vote AgainstWith almost all constituencies reporting, RÚV said the measure was defeated by 52.5% to 47.5%. The broadcaster later reported a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%. Reykjavik was the only area to support restarting accession talks, according to RÚV. Iceland has a population of about 400,000. RÚV said it was almost impossible that remaining votes to be counted in the south-west, where the measure was losing, would change the overall outcome. Previous Talks Ended in 2015The referendum was a straight yes-or-no question for about 265,000 eligible voters: whether Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the EU. EU membership negotiations were halted in 2015 after the collapse of talks initiated by a previous government. The current referendum was scheduled for next year, but was moved forward after Donald Trump, the US president, mistakenly named Iceland four times while discussing his plans related to Greenland. Supporters of the referendum said the risk of similar threats to Iceland in future made European solidarity more relevant, despite the country being a NATO member. Campaign Highlights Single Market and Schengen AccessOpponents argued against restarting negotiations by pointing to Iceland’s existing access to the EU’s single market for goods and to the Schengen free-travel area. They said that those benefits are available without the sovereignty compromises that come with full membership. They also argued that Iceland’s influence would be limited in the European Parliament and that the country would be better placed to negotiate its own trade deals, including a separate agreement with China. Supporters said EU membership would reduce inflation and interest rates, and that adopting the euro would bring greater stability than Iceland’s volatile króna. They added that closer ties with European neighbours would help address issues that cross borders, including climate change. Join the discussion? 30 August 2026
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