Iceland appears to have rejected the federal government’s proposal to maintain accession talks with the EU, the general public broadcaster RUV has reported, with solely a small variety of votes left to depend.
The no camp had 52.5% of votes and the sure camp 47.5%, with only some ballots left to be counted in considered one of Iceland’s six voting districts, which was already leaning in the direction of no, on-line poll relying on RUV confirmed on Sunday.
“The nation rejects accession negotiations with the EU,” RUV wrote.
Barring a serious last-minute turnaround, the end result offers a blow to Brussels, which had been eager to welcome a rich new member and appeared keen to compromise with Iceland on thorny points to facilitate its accession.
The authorities in Reykjavik had framed its membership plan as a “now or never” second, and the prime minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, instructed voters in August {that a} no would put all EU hypothesis apart.
Yes campaigners mentioned becoming a member of the bloc may ease excessive rates of interest and supply extra safety in a world unsettled by battle in Ukraine and the US president, Donald Trump’s rhetoric about annexing one other Arctic island, Greenland.
But campaigners for no mentioned EU membership would threaten the island’s sovereignty and fishing waters.
The referendum marketing campaign has fuelled debate about Iceland’s place in the world, Kristrun instructed reporters after casting her poll in the capital on Saturday.
“This is a great day. We’ve been waiting for this for years to be able to have a vote,” she mentioned, including that her authorities would proceed its work whatever the end result.
Iceland first utilized to be a part of the EU in 2009 when a monetary disaster hit the nation’s small, uncovered financial system. A Eurosceptic authorities ended talks in 2013.
Geopolitical turmoil together with battle in the Middle East and US import tariffs has introduced urgency to a difficulty Icelanders have debated on and off for many years.