Icelanders reject EU-accession talks, broadcaster RUV reports

Iceland voted against joining the European Union in a referendum on Sunday, according to broadcaster RUV. The government had pushed to reopen talks on EU membership, but the referendum was a rejection of this move. Some votes from one constituency were still pending, but RUV did not expect them to change the outcome. Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir had warned that a "no" vote would put the membership question aside.

Iceland has a history of membership debates, with the country applying for EU membership in 2009 but ending talks in 2013. The referendum campaign focused on economic factors, such as interest rates and the cost of living, rather than security concerns. Some pro-EU campaigners believed EU membership could help lower interest rates and increase security, especially in light of geopolitical turmoil and the war in Ukraine.

However, opposition leader Gudrun Hafsteinsdottir argued that the economic case was overstated and that Iceland would need to solve its own problems.