Iceland rejects the opening of EU accession negotiations in a referendum

Icelanders have voted against the government's proposal to begin accession talks with the European Union. The "No" camp won with 52,5% of the vote, according to near-final results broadcast Sunday by the public broadcaster RUV.

The result is unequivocal, even though some ballots remained to be counted in one of the country's six electoral districts: 52,5% of Icelandic voters chose "No," compared to 47,5% for "Yes." "The nation rejects accession negotiations with the EU," declared Rúván after the count.

Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir had framed the referendum as a "now or never" moment, warning that a "No" vote would definitively end any speculation about the country joining the European bloc. Those campaigning for "Yes" argued that membership would help lower high interest rates and offer greater security in a global context troubled by the war in Ukraine and US President Donald Trump's statements regarding the annexation of Greenland, another Arctic island.

Opponents of membership defended Icelandic sovereignty and the protection of national fishing waters, two arguments that clearly convinced a majority of voters.

This is not the first time Iceland has found itself at this European crossroads. The country submitted an application for membership in 2009, at the height of the financial crisis. A Eurosceptic government ended negotiations in 2013, and the issue has remained unresolved ever since.