Icelandic voters rejected a proposal to reopen talks on joining the European Union in a national referendum Sunday, with 52.8% voting “no” against 47.2% voting “yes,” according to Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV.
The Numbers
Final results showed 118,040 votes against reopening accession talks to 105,399 in favor, out of 225,031 total votes cast, an 82.5% turnout. Iceland first applied to join the EU in 2009 during the financial crisis that hit its small, exposed economy, but a Eurosceptic government ended those talks in 2013 without a public vote on the matter.
Why the Vote Happened Now
Iceland’s left-leaning coalition government, elected in 2024, had originally planned to hold this referendum next year but moved it up after President Trump mistakenly referenced Iceland multiple times while discussing his interest in acquiring Greenland.
What Drove the ‘No’ Vote
Opponents of EU accession rallied primarily around protecting Iceland’s fishing waters, a cornerstone of the national economy, from EU fisheries policy and shared quotas. Supporters of the “no” side also argued Iceland already gets most practical benefits of EU integration, frictionless access to the single market and the Schengen free-travel zone, without the sovereignty trade-offs of full membership.
What Happens Next
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said that if voters rejected reopening talks, EU membership would not return to the political agenda during her government’s current mandate, which runs through 2028.
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