Iceland votes on whether to start EU membership talks
- On Saturday, Icelanders voted on whether to reopen European Union membership talks, with the nation of roughly 400,000 people deeply divided over sovereignty, fishing rights, and the cost of living.
- Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir advocates for reopening negotiations, citing security pressures in a shifting international order. Supporters argue membership could ease high inflation and interest rates, which stand at 8.00%.
- Former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir warned on Thursday that "For a country like ours with our small economy, it's very important to maintain our sovereignty." Opponents fear membership would compromise control over fishing waters.
- Should voters approve, the decision would only initiate discussions with Brussels. Vilhjalmur Hilmarsson, chief economist at Viska, said membership "could become a catalyst to a more healthy economy" despite not solving structural faults.
- A foreign ministry memo estimates accession talks could span 18 to 24 months if negotiations resume by the end of 2026. A mandatory general election by November 2028 adds political uncertainty to any negotiating timeline.
481 Articles
481 Articles
Iceland says no to EU negotiations in the country's referendum. Nearly 53 percent voted against membership. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who wants to join the EU, says the result is "not a setback" but "a victory for democracy."
Icelandic voters reject proposal to restart negotiations to join European Union
Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8 to 47.2%, RUV reported. Reykjavik, the capital, was the only area in the island nation of 400,000 people where a majority supported the referendum
Iceland has said no in Brussels, but above all to the idea of handing over to the European Union some of the control over the resources it considers to be the most identity: the sea,...
'Fishing, sovereignty and economic policy': Why Iceland voters rejected EU membership in referendum
Icelandic voters rejected a proposal to resume EU membership talks, with 52.8% voting against. Fishing concerns, sovereignty and economic policy shaped the referendum, while the result is expected to put the EU membership debate on hold until at least 2028.
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