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Iceland in Suspense After Vote on EU Membership Talks

Vote counting began after a close race on reopening accession talks, with turnout reported at least comparable to 2024 parliamentary elections.

  • On Saturday, Iceland's 273,000 voters cast ballots in a referendum deciding whether to resume European Union membership negotiations, with results expected overnight as polling stations closed at 10:00 pm.
  • Iceland first applied for European Union membership in 2009 following a devastating financial crisis, but a Eurosceptic government suspended the talks in 2013.
  • Economic stability, fisheries, and security in a world unsettled by the war in Ukraine dominate the debate, with campaigners citing Iceland's 8.00 per cent central bank rate as a key factor.
  • Although the referendum is technically non-binding, Social Democratic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir has vowed to respect the outcome, with the government presenting plans at a Sunday press conference.
  • A foreign ministry memo estimates accession talks could start by the end of 2026 and take 18 to 24 months if the vote favors reopening negotiations, requiring a final membership referendum later.
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25 Articles

Lean Left

Preliminary results show a close race in the referendum in Iceland, but many votes still need to be counted.

·Copenhagen, Denmark
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Center

Icelanders voted on Saturday on whether the country should continue membership negotiations with the European Union. The result is expected to be very close.

·Helsinki, Finland
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Lean Right

Preliminary results show a close race in the referendum in Iceland, but many votes still need to be counted.

·Copenhagen, Denmark
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Lean Left

Icelanders voted on Saturday on whether the country will continue membership negotiations with the European Union. The vote is now being counted.

·Helsinki, Finland
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Center

Icelanders voted on Saturday to continue EU membership negotiations. Final voting results are not expected until Sunday morning.

·Helsinki, Finland
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Center

Reykjavik, 29 Aug (EFE).- The polling stations for the referendum in Iceland on the resumption of negotiations with the European Union (EU) closed this Saturday at 22.00 GMT, in a consultation in which previous polls point to a tight result. The nearly 273,000 Icelandic voters were able to vote between [...] The entry The 'yes' holds slight advantage in the Icelandic referendum over the EU after first results was first published in HolaNews.

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Blue Water Healthy Living broke the news in Port Huron, United States on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
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