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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

EU hides disappointment after Iceland's 'No' vote

People holding a banner reading "No" in opposition to the resumption of European Union accession talks in Reykjavik, Iceland, 27 August 2026.
People holding a banner reading "No" in opposition to the resumption of European Union accession talks in Reykjavik, Iceland, 27 August 2026. AP Photo/Marco Di Marco - Marco Di Marco

The EU put a brave face Sunday on Iceland's vote against restarting membership talks, but the outcome was a bitter pill to swallow – robbing Brussels of a hoped-for success story while delighting its eurosceptic critics.

European Council chief Antonio Costa told Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir after the referendum results came in late Saturday, that the 27-nation bloc "fully respects the democratic choice" of Iceland's voters.

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