Iceland votes 'No' to further EU accession talks in tight result

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 votes in order of the announcements were divided as follows:

Reykjavík North: Yes 57.5% - No 42.5%

Reykjavík South: Yes 54.5% - No 45.5%

South constituency: Yes 39.5% - No 60.5%

Northwest constituency: Yes 37.1% - No 62.9%

Northeast constituency: Yes: 38.8% No: 61.2%

Southwest constituency: TBC

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

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

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir's current Social Democratic-led government revived the question this year, arguing that a more volatile international climate made it worth asking voters whether to pursue closer EU ties.

Iceland's relationship with Brussels won't fundamentally change either way, though: the country already participates in the European Economic Area and the passport-free Schengen zone, and both arrangements stay intact.

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

Frostadóttir, Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister of Education and Children Inga Sæland have called a press conference for 3pm CET where the party leaders will discuss the result and take questions from the media.

How the night unfolded

Polls closed at 10 p.m. local time (00:00am CET), and the first partial results — drawn heavily from the capital, Reykjavik — showed "Yes" comfortably ahead, at nearly 58%. Pro-EU campaigners were cautiously optimistic in the early hours, pointing to strong urban turnout.

But 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 2 am CET, the national tally had narrowed to a near-even split.

The turning point came around 7am 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.