Iceland Holds Referendum on Resuming EU Membership Talks
Iceland voted on whether to reopen accession negotiations with the European Union, with polls showing a narrow lead for the "Yes" side and results expected early Sunday.
Icelandic voters went to the polls on Saturday to decide if the country should restart negotiations to join the European Union. The referendum asks whether to reopen accession talks, a step that would not automatically lead to membership but would require a further vote on any final deal.
Polling stations were open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Early voting saw about 40,000 people, roughly 15% of the electorate, cast ballots before the official voting day.
The country first applied for EU membership in 2009 after its financial crisis, but a Eurosceptic government suspended talks in 2013 and formally withdrew the candidacy in 2015. A pro-EU coalition that won the 2024 election pledged to hold a referendum on restarting the process, leading to today’s vote.
With a population just under 400,000, Iceland would become the EU’s smallest member by number of citizens if it eventually joined. The referendum is advisory, but a clear "Yes" outcome would pressure the government to move forward with negotiations.
The latest poll from market research firm Maskína, released on Friday, showed 50.4% intending to vote "Yes" and 49.6% intending to vote "No," leaving the result too close to call. Initial results are expected in the early hours of Sunday.