Iceland rejects EU accession talks resumption in narrow referendum

Published on 30/08/2026 – 10:09 GMT+2•Updated 10:17

Iceland’s ‘No’ camp has narrowly won a referendum on whether to resume the country’s suspended European Union membership negotiations, according to local broadcaster RUV.

One constituency still has to confirm its results but RUV said: “It is now clear that Iceland has voted to reject the resumption of accession talks with the European Union.”

The final tally (excluding the unconfirmed South‑west constituency) was:

Reykjavík North: 57.5% in favour – 42.5% against

Reykjavík South: 54.5% in favour – 45.5% against

South constituency: 39.5% in favour – 60.5% against

North‑west constituency: 37.1% in favour – 62.9% against

North‑east constituency: 38.8% in favour – 61.2% against

South‑west constituency: TBC

The ‘No’ outcome will shelve the EU debate in Icelandic politics for at least two more years.

The island nation of roughly 400 000 people first sought EU membership after the 2009 financial crisis pushed its economy to the brink. Accession talks stalled in 2013 once a eurosceptic coalition took power.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s current Social Democratic‑led government revived the issue this year, arguing that a more volatile international climate made it worthwhile to ask voters whether to pursue closer EU ties.

Iceland’s relationship with Brussels will not fundamentally change either way. The country already participates in the European Economic Area and the passport‑free Schengen zone, both of which remain intact.

The referendum itself carries no legal force, but the government has committed to abide by whatever Icelanders decide.

Frostadóttir, Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister of Education and Children Inga Sæland have called a press conference for 15:00 CET where the party leaders will discuss the result and take questions from the media.

How the night unfolded

Polls closed at 22:00 local time (00:00 CET), and the first partial results—drawn heavily from the capital Reykjavík—showed a comfortable ‘Yes’ lead of almost 58%. Pro‑EU campaigners were cautiously optimistic, pointing to strong urban turnout.

As rural and coastal constituencies began reporting after midnight, the picture shifted sharply. Fishing communities, where opposition to EU quota‑sharing rules has run deep for over a decade, delivered ‘No’ majorities above 65% in several districts. By 02:00 CET the national tally had narrowed to a near‑even split.

The turning point came around 07:00 CET, when the northern agricultural region—traditionally a bellwether—reported a 60/40 split in favour of ‘No’, pushing the national count into ‘No’ territory for the first time. From there, the lead never fully reverted.

Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.

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