Iceland rejects EU membership plan in referendum, after almost all votes were counted

Iceland's referendum to reconsider EU membership has resulted in a rejection, according to public broadcaster RUV, with just a fraction of votes remaining to be counted on Sunday. Out of the 270,000 eligible voters, 52.5% of the 188,500 votes tallied were against restarting negotiations with the European Union, while 47.5% were in favor, as reported by RUV.

The turnout, however, remains undisclosed. Proponents of EU membership argued that joining the bloc could alleviate high interest rates and provide enhanced security in an unstable world, particularly following the war in Ukraine and President Donald Trump's threats. Conversely, opponents contended that EU membership would jeopardize Iceland's sovereignty and fishing rights.

Former President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, a staunch opponent of EU membership, remarked on social media that this referendum marks "today's encounter with history." Iceland initially sought EU membership in 2009 amidst a financial crisis that severely impacted the nation's fragile economy. Negotiations were halted in 2013 by a Eurosceptic government.

Recent geopolitical upheavals have reignited the debate on Iceland's future in relation to the EU. Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, who supports the "yes" campaign, emphasized in a recent Reuters interview that the vote essentially asks whether Iceland can afford to remain isolated in an era of rapidly changing global certainties.