Voting closes in Iceland’s knife-edge EU referendum
Iceland has concluded voting in a referendum to decide whether to resume negotiations for European Union membership. Initial counts suggest a very tight race, with a slight lead for those opposing the restart of accession talks.
Why it matters
The outcome will determine Iceland's future geopolitical alignment and economic integration with the European bloc after a 13-year hiatus.
Iceland’s leadership has promised to honour whatever the country’s people decide.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Iceland's Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir casts her ballot at a polling station in the town of Hafnarfjordur during the EU referendum on August 29, 2026 [AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP Published On 29 Aug 2026 29 Aug 2026 Vote counting is under way in Iceland’s referendum on resuming membership negotiations with the European Union.
Voting stations closed at 10pm local time on Saturday (22:00 GMT), and partial figures started emerging early on Sunday.
Based on the initial 152,000 of an eligible 270,000 votes, 50.1 percent were against the government restarting talks with Brussels, according to broadcaster RUV, the Reuters news agency reported.
That is a swing from an earlier Gallup poll, which gave the “yes” a slight lead.
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