Iceland votes against restarting EU membership talks

Iceland has voted against resuming talks on joining the European Union 13 years after they were broken off.

Icelanders voted to stay out of the European Union, referendum results showed on Sunday, as they rejected a government push to reopen membership talks and sided with those who said Iceland's fishing waters were too important to risk.

Iceland voted ‘No’ to resuming membership negotiations with the EU, final referendum results showed yesterday, dealing a blow to Brussels which had been keen to welcome an affluent member. In a vote held on Saturday, 52.8 percent of Icelanders rejected the resumption of EU entry talks suspended 13 years ago, while 47.2

Broadcaster RUV reports that 52.8% of voters rejected the government's proposal to resume accession talks.

The country is already part of the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area, which allows frictionless movement of people, goods, capital and services.

Some 47.5% of voters supported the government's proposal while 52.5% said no, according to local broadcaster RUV's estimates. Final results are expected later on Sunday.

Iceland has voted to reject the resumption of European Union accession talks with a record turnout for a referendum that swung back and forth through the night.

Boats are docked in the old harbour, ahead of a referendum on whether Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the European Union, in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 28, 2026. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger 30 Aug 2026 01:51PM REYKJAVIK, Iceland: The "no" camp moved ahead early on Sunday (Aug 30) in partial results of Ice

President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland added a new security dimension to Iceland's EU referendum, with 275,000 eligible voters weighing in.

Iceland voted in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, with a close race predicted and the final result expected late in the night or next morning.

Iceland voted Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, with a close race predicted and the final result expected late in the night or next morning.Iceland in suspense after close EU voteVoting stations closed at 10:00 pm .In the absence of exit polls and with ballot

About 265,000 Icelanders are eligible to vote in a referendum on whether to trigger European Union membership talks. Supporters say membership could offer stability and protection against possible threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, while opponents say it's unnecessary and could endanger rich fishing stocks.

Some supporters believe the European Union could offer protections if Trump ever made similar threats against Iceland. But opponents are not happy that EU membership could jeopardize Iceland’s rich fishing stocks.

Trump's Greenland Threats Cast A Shadow On Iceland's Vote On Whether To Trigger EU Membership Talks  HuffPost

Icelanders began voting Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, in a tight race that will be closely watched in Brussels.

Icelanders go to the polls on Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, in a tight race that will be closely watched in Brussels. The country of just under 400,000 people applied to join the EU in the wake of a 2009 financial crisis that devastated its economy. The m

Icelanders go to the polls on Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, in a tight race that will be closely watched in Brussels. The country of just under 400,000 people applied to join the EU in the wake of a 2009 financial crisis that devastated its economy.

Counting is under way in Iceland's referendum ‌on whether to resume talks to join the European Union, years after discussions stalled.

Amid economic and security challenges, Iceland is holding a referendum more than a decade after pausing accession talks.

Voters in Iceland are heading to the polls to decide whether the country should resume long-stalled negotiations on becoming a member of the European Union and they are doing so in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats on nearby Greenland

Trump's Greenland threats cast a shadow on Iceland's vote on whether to trigger EU membership talks  AP News

REYKJAVIK, Aug 29 - Icelanders vote on Saturday on whether to reopen membership talks with the European Union, with islanders split down the middle after months of debate focused on the cost of living, security and control over fishing waters.

Iceland votes on whether to start EU membership talks  Reuters

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland and growing uncertainty over U.S. security commitments have added a geopolitical dimension to Iceland’s EU debate.