Icelandic voters reject a proposal to restart negotiations to join the European Union

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) -- In a referendum held on Saturday, Iceland's voters decisively rejected restarting negotiations to join the European Union, officials announced on Sunday. The measure was defeated by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%, according to the National Electoral Commission. The outcome, which came more than a decade after a euroskeptic government ended EU talks that began following the 2008 financial crisis, puts the controversial issue to rest for now.

The vote took place amid repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to take control of nearby Greenland. While Iceland is a NATO member, supporters argued that European solidarity would provide greater protection in the face of potential threats from the U.S. President.

The left-leaning coalition government of Iceland, elected in 2024, had moved up the EU referendum after the threat from Trump to take control of Greenland. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that the U.S. administration respected the sovereign decision made by Iceland and expressed its willingness to strengthen the partnership with Iceland on various fronts, including security, energy, innovation, and economic and cultural ties.

Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir acknowledged the referendum result as a victory for democracy, as over 82% of eligible 270,000 voters cast their ballots. She stated that her government would respect the decision but would not rule out a future attempt to reopen the issue. However, she emphasized that Iceland would not move forward with the referendum for now and that significant changes would need to occur within the next 24 months for the issue to be at the top of the agenda.

Opposition leader Gudrun Hafsteinsdottir of the Independence Party criticized the result as a setback for the government but not for European relations. She urged the government to listen to the referendum's conclusion and put this path aside, as Iceland desires to maintain close contact with the European Union, Europe, and other countries.

The referendum question presented to voters was a straightforward yes-or-no query: Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union? With a population of 400,000 people, the only region where a majority supported the referendum was the capital of Reykjavik.

The influential fishing industry led opposition to the referendum due to concerns that the bloc's common fisheries policy would open Iceland's waters to Spanish, Dutch, and other trawlers. Icelanders, descendants of Vikings who won their independence from Denmark in 1944, have historically lived off the sea for centuries, with fishing being central to their national identity.

Opponents also argued that Iceland already benefits from being part of the EU's frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises associated with full membership. They contended that Iceland's voice would be diminished in the large European Parliament and that it would be better off negotiating its own trade deals, such as one with China.

Proponents argued that EU membership would lower inflation and interest rates, and the euro would provide more stability than Iceland's volatile krona currency. They also believed that closer ties to European neighbors would help tackle issues that do not respect borders, such as climate change.