Icelanders have rejected a proposal to reopen negotiations on European Union membership, rejecting a proposal to reopen EU membership negotiations despite concerns about security in the North Atlantic and President Donald Trump's ambitions involving Greenland. In Saturday's referendum, 52.8% voted against restarting talks and 47.2% supporting the proposal, with turnout reaching about 82.5%.
The result is a setback for Iceland's pro-EU government, with supporters having argued that closer ties with the EU could strengthen Iceland's economic and strategic position. A diplomat confirmed to Reuters, 'This is a clear setback for Brussels.' The vote asked whether negotiations that followed Iceland's 2009 application for EU membership after the financial crisis and were later abandoned should be restarted.
