Icelandic voters have rejected a proposal to restart negotiations on joining the European Union, ending another attempt to revive the long-running debate over EU membership. Opponents defeated the measure by 52.8% to 47.2%, according to Iceland's national broadcaster RUV. Reykjavik was the only part of the country where a majority voted in favour of resuming accession talks. The referendum was held more than a decade after Iceland previously suspended its efforts to join the European Union. The latest vote asked roughly 265,000 eligible voters a straightforward question: whether the country should resume negotiations with the bloc. The result is expected to put the issue on hold again, although the debate over Iceland's relationship with the EU could resurface in the future.

The vote took place against the backdrop of renewed geopolitical concerns in the North Atlantic. US President Donald Trump's repeated threats to take control of nearby Greenland became an unexpected factor in Iceland's referendum campaign. Some supporters of reopening EU negotiations argued that closer ties with European countries could provide Iceland with greater political solidarity and security if it ever faced similar pressure. Iceland is already a member of NATO, but supporters of the proposal said EU membership could offer another layer of political and economic cooperation with neighbouring European countries. The issue gained additional prominence after Trump repeatedly referred to Iceland while discussing his interest in Greenland. The remarks contributed to concerns among some Icelanders about the country's security and international position.

Iceland's left-leaning coalition government, elected in 2024, had originally planned to hold the referendum next year. However, the government moved the vote forward after Trump mistakenly mentioned Iceland four times while speaking about his ambitions regarding Greenland. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir campaigned in favour of resuming negotiations and had expressed hope that the referendum would not create lasting divisions within the country. The vote count remained close for much of the night. The “Yes” side initially moved into the lead before the balance shifted as additional ballots were counted. At one point, only a few hundred votes separated the two sides, but the margin eventually widened as results arrived from areas where opposition to restarting negotiations was stronger.

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The result reflects continuing reservations among Icelanders about EU membership. Iceland has maintained close economic and political ties with Europe while remaining outside the European Union. Concerns over national sovereignty, control of natural resources and the implications of adopting EU rules have historically contributed to resistance toward membership, while supporters have argued that closer integration could strengthen Iceland's economic and political position. The rejection also leaves Iceland's current relationship with the European Union unchanged. The country remains closely connected to the bloc through arrangements including the European Economic Area, which provides access to the EU's single market. Voters opposing the referendum proposal argued that reopening negotiations at this point could deepen political divisions without guaranteeing that full membership would ultimately be in Iceland's interests.

Daniel Bjarkason, who voted against the proposal, said the country could reconsider EU membership in the future but believed the timing was wrong. He suggested that a much larger majority would be needed to justify such a major political decision, arguing that the country was currently too divided on the issue. Prime Minister Frostadóttir, meanwhile, said she hoped the result would not leave the country bitterly divided. With the final result showing a clear but relatively narrow rejection, Iceland's EU debate is likely to remain part of the country's political conversation. For now, however, voters have chosen not to reopen accession negotiations, putting another chapter of Iceland's long-running EU membership debate on hold.

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