Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Iceland has voted No in its referendum on whether to reopen accession negotiations with the European Union.
According to results reported by Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV, the No camp won with 52.8%, while the Yes camp secured 47.2%.
The result means Icelanders have rejected the government’s proposal to resume EU membership talks, in what had been framed as a major decision about the country’s future direction.
Supporters of the Yes campaign argued that closer ties with the EU could bring more economic stability and security in a world shaped by the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Greenland.
But the No campaign focused on sovereignty and Iceland’s powerful fishing industry, warning that EU membership could threaten national control over fisheries.
Iceland will remain outside the EU, while keeping its existing close ties through the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone.
For Brussels, the result is a disappointment. The EU had hoped Iceland could become a positive example of enlargement — a wealthy, democratic country choosing Europe at a time when the Union wants to show its continued appeal.
But Reykjavík has sent a different message: Europe may still be attractive, but sovereignty, identity and control over the sea still win votes in Iceland.
#eudebates #Iceland #EUReferendum #EUEnlargement
Iceland has voted No in its referendum on whether to reopen accession negotiations with the European Union.
According to results reported by Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV, the No camp won with 52.8%, while the Yes camp secured 47.2%.
The result means Icelanders have rejected the government’s proposal to resume EU membership talks, in what had been framed as a major decision about the country’s future direction.
Supporters of the Yes campaign argued that closer ties with the EU could bring more economic stability and security in a world shaped by the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Greenland.
But the No campaign focused on sovereignty and Iceland’s powerful fishing industry, warning that EU membership could threaten national control over fisheries.
Iceland will remain outside the EU, while keeping its existing close ties through the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone.
For Brussels, the result is a disappointment. The EU had hoped Iceland could become a positive example of enlargement — a wealthy, democratic country choosing Europe at a time when the Union wants to show its continued appeal.
But Reykjavík has sent a different message: Europe may still be attractive, but sovereignty, identity and control over the sea still win votes in Iceland.
#eudebates #Iceland #EUReferendum #EUEnlargement
