Iceland votes against restarting talks on joining EU

Iceland's voters have rejected a government proposal to restart talks on joining the European Union, with 52.8% of 225,031 ballots cast going against the plan, according to public broadcaster RUV. The vote, held just 13 years after the EU talks were halted, saw a 12,600-vote margin separating the two sides. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir's centre-left government had initially planned to hold the referendum by 2027, but brought it forward due to international tensions, including US President Donald Trump's threats towards Greenland.

However, the debate surrounding the referendum centered more on Iceland's fishing industry than security concerns. With an 82.5% turnout, the election marked the highest voter participation in Iceland since 2009. Iceland is already part of the EU's single market and Schengen area, and EU membership would have required Iceland to join the customs union and eventually adopt the euro.

The fishing rights issue has been a significant obstacle, as it remains today, with some 270,000 eligible voters participating in the referendum. The referendum campaign sparked discussions about Iceland's global standing, with Kristrún Frostadóttir expressing that the vote was a long-awaited decision. The ballot question was: "Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?"

A "Yes" vote would not have been a final decision on joining the EU but a step towards an accession agreement, which would have required another referendum for approval. The "No" vote does not preclude Iceland from resuming talks in the future. While economic matters dominated the campaigns, security concerns also played a role.

Iceland, a NATO founder member with no military, relies on its allies for defense, and the country has supported Ukraine during Russia's invasion. Trump's interest in taking control of Greenland has also raised concerns.