Iceland has rejected a renewed push toward membership of the European Union, with voters on course to vote against reopening accession negotiations with Brussels in a bitter blow for globalist elites.
With results declared in five of the country’s six constituencies on Sunday morning, the “No” campaign held an unassailable lead of around 52.5 percent.
The result represents a significant setback for Iceland’s left-wing government, which called the referendum in an effort to revive accession talks abandoned more than a decade ago.
The question put to Icelanders was straightforward: “Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?”
The referendum was not itself a vote on joining the EU.
A victory for the “Yes” campaign would merely have restarted negotiations with Brussels, with any eventual membership agreement requiring approval in a second referendum.
BREAKING: Iceland has rejected a government proposal to restart negotiations on EU membership
“Should negotiations on Iceland’s membership in the European Union start again?”
NO – 52.5%
YES – 47.5%
— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) August 30, 2026
🚨🇮🇸 BREAKING: Iceland has rejected a government proposal to restart negotiations on EU membership
"Should negotiations on Iceland's membership in the European Union start again?"
❌ NO – 52.5%
✅ YES – 47.5%— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) August 30, 2026
52.8 to 47.2. Turnout 82.5 percent. Fish over security.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70le8ed1plo