Icelandic voters have rejected a referendum aimed at restarting negotiations to join the European Union, putting an end to the long-debated issue for the second time. The national broadcaster RUV reported Sunday that opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%, with the capital city of Reykjavik being the only area to support the referendum.
The vote concluded more than a decade after a euroskeptic government previously ended EU accession talks. This referendum, initially planned for next year by Iceland's current left-leaning coalition government, was moved up following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Greenland. Trump's remarks about controlling nearby Greenland, though not directly threatening Iceland, led some voters to favor the idea of European solidarity, with supporters arguing that EU membership would provide greater protection.
The referendum presented voters with a straightforward yes-or-no question: Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union? Roughly 265,000 eligible voters participated.
Opponents of rejoining the EU rallied around Iceland's fishing industry and the fact that the nation already benefits from the EU's single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the full membership's compromises. They argued that Iceland's voice would be diminished in the European Parliament and that pursuing independent trade deals, such as one with China, would be more advantageous.
Conversely, supporters of the referendum argued that EU membership would lead to lower inflation and interest rates, with the euro offering more stability than Iceland's volatile króna. They also contended that closer ties with European neighbors were essential for addressing transnational issues like climate change.