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Iceland voters reject restarting EU accession talks
Opponents won 52.8% to 47.2%, with turnout above 82% and the vote held amid US President Donald Trump comments about Greenland.
Icelandic voters rejected a proposal to restart negotiations to join the European Union in a referendum held Saturday, with the National Electoral Commission reporting that opponents prevailed by 52.8% to 47.2%. The result, officials said, effectively ends the issue for now after more than a decade since a Eurosceptic government ended EU talks that began following the 2008 financial crisis.
The vote took place amid repeated threats by US President Donald Trump to take control of nearby Greenland, a factor that supporters said made European solidarity relevant for Iceland’s security. Even with Iceland as a NATO member, supporters argued that collective European protection would be stronger if similar threats were directed at Iceland.
According to the report, Iceland’s left-leaning coalition government, elected in 2024, advanced the referendum from its planned next-year timing after Trump mistakenly named Iceland four times while speaking about his plans for Greenland. Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said she would respect the outcome but noted that the government would not move forward with EU talks unless “something big” changes in the next 24 months, while also characterizing the result as a win for democracy.