{"id":2117733,"date":"2026-08-28T14:02:48","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:02:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2117733"},"modified":"2026-08-28T14:02:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:02:48","slug":"icelands-eu-referendum-what-to-know-ahead-of-vote-and-whats-at-stake-for-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2117733","title":{"rendered":"Iceland\u2019s EU referendum: What to know ahead of vote and what&#8217;s at stake for Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/02\/01\/1200x675_cmsv2_3ac1c46e-23e4-531b-8464-dd337241a2ef-9890201.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921053-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2921053\" data-cid=\"9893710\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921053-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/15\/73\/189x106_cmsv2_9c800d4c-ad33-5a46-b9fd-3d1df39106ac-9891573.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Titlis Glacier in Switzerland, archive\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Nepal flood highlights growing risk of glacier disasters in the Alps\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921481-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2921481\" data-cid=\"9893779\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921481-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/37\/79\/189x106_cmsv2_31648edf-2d8b-562e-bb46-a0ff6d62d7df-9893779.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | August 29th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | August 29th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921138-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2921138\" data-cid=\"9892071\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921138-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/20\/71\/189x106_cmsv2_4349c409-57c6-557d-af32-f5d9043319ca-9892071.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Homer Valley \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hollywood&#8217;s &#8216;Odyssey&#8217; craze turns eyes to Turkey: Did Homer compose his epics in an Izmir cave?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921465-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2921465\" data-cid=\"9893723\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921465-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_8ea189fb-c8c1-58c5-9f84-e794ee3431b3-9893690.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Schakal wheeled infantry fighting vehicle\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                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m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2921138\" data-cid=\"9892071\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921138-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/20\/71\/189x106_cmsv2_4349c409-57c6-557d-af32-f5d9043319ca-9892071.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Homer Valley \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hollywood&#8217;s &#8216;Odyssey&#8217; craze turns eyes to Turkey: Did Homer compose his epics in an Izmir cave?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921465-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2921465\" data-cid=\"9893723\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921465-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_8ea189fb-c8c1-58c5-9f84-e794ee3431b3-9893690.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Schakal wheeled infantry fighting vehicle\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bundeswehr expands &#8216;Schakal&#8217; fleet for NATO&#8217;s eastern flank\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Iceland\u2019s EU referendum: What to know ahead of vote and what&#8217;s at stake for Europe<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/02\/01\/1536x864_cmsv2_3ac1c46e-23e4-531b-8464-dd337241a2ef-9890201.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"An Icelandic flag waves in the wind at Reykjavik Harbor in Reykjavik, Iceland, 9 August 2026. \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              An Icelandic flag waves in the wind at Reykjavik Harbor in Reykjavik, Iceland, 9 August 2026.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspAngela Skujins\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1787925768\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-08-28 16:02:48 +02:00\">28\/08\/2026 &#8211; 16:02 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"20:21\">20:21<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Everything you need to know about Iceland\u2019s Saturday referendum on whether the country should negotiate again to join the European Union.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>\u201cShould Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?\u201d<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This is the question being put to 270,000 Icelanders on Saturday 29 August. From 9am local time, eligible voters will head to the polls to chart their nation&#8217;s course closer to the European Union \u2014 or further away.<\/p>\n<p>The results from the referendum will determine whether the island of 400,000 people should restart negotiations to join the 27-member bloc, or place the revived idea on the backburner for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n<p>Early polling shows that the results will most likely be down to the wire. An August survey by polling agency Mask\u00edna showed a narrow lead, with 51.3% of respondents in favour of restarting talks and 48.7% opposed.<\/p>\n<p>The split indicates tensions over the upcoming plebiscite, which has exposed political fault lines in Iceland covering matters from security to the seas.<\/p>\n<p>Defence remains a particular flashpoint. Iceland is wary of being caught in the crosshairs by Russia\u2019s growing economic and strategic interest in the area, on the one hand, and statements made by US President Donald Trump, who has repeated threatened to annex Greenland, on the other.<\/p>\n<p>But locals are pointing to far more domestic issues that could determine the knife-edge result, from the soaring cost of living to fishing and farming.<\/p>\n<p>Icelandic Prime Minister Kristr\u00fan Frostad\u00f3ttir told Euronews in April that there must be a \u201cbalanced discussion\u201d regarding the referendum. <\/p>\n<p>So, what is being discussed, what are the major sticking points, and why does it all matter? Ahead of the vote, Euronews answers your most pressing questions.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is Iceland voting on?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Saturday\u2019s referendum question will be: \u201cShould Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?\u201d The options will be simply \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Crucially, the referendum will decide only whether the government of Iceland should restart accession negotiations with the EU; it is not a vote to determine whether the country should join the EU. That decision would need to be put to a second referendum, as well as being ratified by the 27 EU member states. <\/p>\n<p>Polling stations in Reykjav\u00edk will open at 9am on Saturday and close at 10pm that evening. Results are expected to roll through in the hours following.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5623847572218807\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/02\/01\/808x454_cmsv2_db66fc13-3921-5d27-ac27-e611909d86ac-9890201.jpg\" alt=\"A loader carries a hay bale bearing the slogans &quot;Afram Island&quot; and &quot;ESB Nei takk,&quot; which mean &quot;Go Iceland&quot; and &quot;EU No Thanks&quot; in Akureyri, Iceland, 20 August 2026. \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">A loader carries a hay bale bearing the slogans &#8220;Afram Island&#8221; and &#8220;ESB Nei takk,&#8221; which mean &#8220;Go Iceland&#8221; and &#8220;EU No Thanks&#8221; in Akureyri, Iceland, 20 August 2026. <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><strong>What is the back story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Iceland first applied to join the EU in 2009, a year after it and other countries were rocked by the 2008 financial crisis. Formal negotiations began in 2010, with membership seen by the Icelandic government as a possible means to shoring up the Icelandic kr\u00f3na. <\/p>\n<p>Yet after two years of lobbying by a Eurosceptic government, the bid was put on hold in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>In the years since, security priorities have shifted dramatically, with Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reshaping vulnerabilities across the High North.<\/p>\n<p>Financial calculations have also altered, with many officials such as the Iceland&#8217;s Finance Minister Da\u00f0i M\u00e1r Krist\u00f3fersson telling Reuters he is hopeful that Iceland joining the EU could boost the country&#8217;s economy, rocked by high inflation. <\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s re-election has also sown discord within the transatlantic alliance and thrown question marks over the US-Iceland 1951 defence agreement. This is a treaty committing the US to support Iceland\u2019s defence on behalf of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), with Iceland accommodating US bases and forces. <\/p>\n<p>Iceland&#8217;s shift back toward the EU path came in 2024, following Frostad\u00f3ttir&#8217;s centre-left government vote into power. After the win, the EU executive confirmed that Iceland&#8217;s EU application \u2014 submitted more than a decade earlier \u2014 remains valid.<\/p>\n<p>In early 2026, the country\u2019s prime minister made good on her promise. She announced there would be a referendum to decide whether EU negotiations should restart, with the vote scheduled for 29 August 2026.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What have the campaigners said?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While not a member of the EU, Iceland is a participant in the European Economic Area (EEA). As with Norway, this means Iceland is granted access to the EU\u2019s single market.<\/p>\n<p>EEA membership means Iceland has already adopted a majority of the EU\u2019s rules, equating to roughly 9,000 legal acts. Proponents of a \u201cyes\u201d vote argue that restarting EU negotiations, with the outcome of eventually joining the bloc, would give Iceland a seat at the table when it comes to negotiating these files. <\/p>\n<p>Proponents of \u201cno\u201d argue that Iceland\u2019s EEA membership and access to the single market should be enough, and full membership is not required.<\/p>\n<p>Haraldur \u00d3lafsson, the chairman of Eurosceptic platform Heimss\u00fdn,previously told Euronews that since Iceland already adheres to 75% of EU rules, \u201cthere is no need for more\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign Minister \u00deorger\u00f0ur Katr\u00edn Gunnarsd\u00f3ttir has remarked that fisheries are the other major issue among &#8220;no&#8221; voters. Iceland&#8217;s fisheries industry body, Fisheries Iceland, has raised concerns over a range of EU fish rules, arguing that EU membership would leave Iceland without &#8220;the power to act as an independent coastal state&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The EU&#8217;s Common Fisheries Policy sets catch limits and quotas across member states \u2013 a policy that has long strained relations between Reykjav\u00edk and Brussels. <\/p>\n<p>The notorious so-called &#8220;mackerel wars&#8221; stemmed from Iceland adopting a unilateral position on mackerel quotas that the EU considered excessive, putting strain on the country&#8217;s former EU accession bid. <\/p>\n<p>This slice of Icelandic history is expected to loom large in the mind of most voters, as its fish industries makes up 6.5% of the country&#8217;s GDP and employs thousands. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>What has the European Union said?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;We share values, we know each other very well, we are like-minded, so we are close partners,&#8221; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during her visit to Iceland in July 2025. <\/p>\n<p>She used her visit to the Nordic island to trumpet its assets \u2014 it shares the same values as the EU, is a member of the single market, and for a mostly pacifist country, maintains robust defences. <\/p>\n<p>It is von der Leyen\u2019s enlargement official, European Commissioner Marta Kos, however, who spelled out Iceland\u2019s EU prospects in more concrete terms. As first reported by <em>Politico<\/em>, Kos said that Iceland could formalise accession negotiations by 2027, as its former bid remains valid.<\/p>\n<p>When Iceland put its application on hold in 2013, 27 negotiating chapters had been opened. Eleven of those chapters were provisionally closed. The segment on fisheries, however, remained a major thorn in the side of the country&#8217;s negotiation talks. <\/p>\n<p>However, Kos recently hinted on social media platform Bluesky that Brussels may be ready to find common ground on the delicate issue. &#8220;Accession negotiations always reflect the specific realities of each candidate country,&#8221; she wrote.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How much do foreign threats loom over the ballot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Magn\u00fas Magn\u00fasson chairs a platform advocating for closer ties with the EU. He previously told Euronews that the country\u2019s critical infrastructure is under \u201cconstant attack\u201d by Russian actors, and it needs to be secured. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things that the EU can help with in that respect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>NATO has also acknowledged Russia and China&#8217;s growing appetite for power in the High North. The alliance in response has since stepped up activity in the region, such as air policing and greater submarine surveillance. <\/p>\n<p>Another boon to the push is to appease Trump, who has argued the US needed the autonomous territory of Greenland for national security reasons, citing increased activity in the area by both Russia and China.<\/p>\n<p>He has often mistaken Iceland for Greenland when repeating his threats, with experts telling Euronews this has sent alarm bells ringing in Reykjav\u00edk. It is also no secret that Washington wants to Europeanise NATO and review its security presence across the continent, something that the European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius estimates could cost Europe \u20ac500 billion.<\/p>\n<p>The EU\u2019s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also acknowledged that the EU and Iceland&#8217;s security situations are intertwined amid interest from the Kremlin to Beijing. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom Russian threats to seabed infrastructure to China\u2019s growing interest in the Arctic, addressing these together gives us greater leverage,\u201d Kallas said at a joint press conference from March conference celebrating Security and Defence Partnership between Iceland and the EU.<\/p>\n<p>At the meeting celebrating the pact, aiming to boost defence cooperation between the entities, the country\u2019s foreign minister \u00deorger\u00f0ur Katr\u00edn Gunnarsd\u00f3ttirreportedly said that the EEA agreement has provided the strong foundations for this relationship, but that the world is changing. \u201cWe must face these changes,&#8221; she added.<\/p>\n<p>European Policy Centre senior advisor Tobias Etzold has opined that growing doubt over US reliability in the region, paired with an increasingly adversarial Russia, is what reignited the EU referendum debate in Iceland. <\/p>\n<p>And it is the theatre of geopolitics that has injected &#8220;fresh dynamism&#8221; into a discussion that had lain dormant for more than a decade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Iceland&#8217;s moment of reckoning: What the referendum means for the EU<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Fish over Trump: Economy will determine Iceland&#8217;s vote on the EU<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Nepal flood highlights growing risk of glacier disasters in the Alps<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  World News<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Donald Trump<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Iceland<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  news<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Daily news<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2921258-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921258\" data-cid=\"9892639\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921258-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/26\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_d2683eba-33a2-5c6c-9105-d05dc7063306-9892639.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An &quot;Afram Island&quot; (&quot;Forward, Iceland&quot;) rally, opposing the resumption of EU accession talks, in Reykjavik.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iceland goes to the polls in high-stakes EU referendum<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2921446-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921446\" data-cid=\"9893646\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921446-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/46\/320x180_cmsv2_6196c225-b22b-5c57-b455-925ac3fe845d-9893646.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up after arriving on Air Force One, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    US and Venezuela strike huge oil deal<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2921401-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921401\" data-cid=\"9893497\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921401-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/34\/97\/320x180_cmsv2_c4700f6d-725d-5d15-871c-2e627e7f61ce-9893497.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Residents salvage their belongings from damaged houses after flash flooding in the Devighat area of Nuwakot district in Nepal, 28 August, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Number of missing in Nepal floods rises to nearly 3,000<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2921464-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921464\" data-cid=\"9893689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921464-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/89\/320x180_cmsv2_1a3ee2ba-6cf0-5d4c-aa3d-5188bbd1d2c7-9893689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a destroyed warehouse after Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    At least 27 killed in Russian strike on warehouse in Bucha<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2921465-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921465\" data-cid=\"9893723\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921465-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/90\/320x180_cmsv2_8ea189fb-c8c1-58c5-9f84-e794ee3431b3-9893690.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Schakal wheeled infantry fighting vehicle\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bundeswehr expands &#8216;Schakal&#8217; fleet for NATO&#8217;s eastern flank<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921232-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921232\" data-cid=\"9893458\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ceuta &#8216;on the brink of collapse&#8217; as Spain seeks Frontex support<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921322-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921322\" data-cid=\"9892933\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Disgusting\u2019: Donald Trump faces backlash for posting AI image of him and Dolly Parton<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921342-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921342\" data-cid=\"9893355\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    C\u00e9line Dion concerts: Canadian star returns to Paris after six years away from the stage<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921098-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921098\" data-cid=\"9891879\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Chinese imports plunge 30% to 40% after EU tax on small parcels<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921236-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921236\" data-cid=\"9892527\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Greek F-16s intercept Turkish drone over northern Aegean<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921258-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921258\" data-cid=\"9892639\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921258-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/26\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_d2683eba-33a2-5c6c-9105-d05dc7063306-9892639.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An &quot;Afram Island&quot; (&quot;Forward, Iceland&quot;) rally, opposing the resumption of EU accession talks, in Reykjavik.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iceland goes to the polls in high-stakes EU referendum<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921446-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921446\" data-cid=\"9893646\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921446-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/46\/320x180_cmsv2_6196c225-b22b-5c57-b455-925ac3fe845d-9893646.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up after arriving on Air Force One, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    US and Venezuela strike huge oil deal<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921401-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921401\" data-cid=\"9893497\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921401-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/34\/97\/320x180_cmsv2_c4700f6d-725d-5d15-871c-2e627e7f61ce-9893497.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Residents salvage their belongings from damaged houses after flash flooding in the Devighat area of Nuwakot district in Nepal, 28 August, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Number of missing in Nepal floods rises to nearly 3,000<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921464-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921464\" data-cid=\"9893689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921464-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/89\/320x180_cmsv2_1a3ee2ba-6cf0-5d4c-aa3d-5188bbd1d2c7-9893689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a destroyed warehouse after Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    At least 27 killed in Russian strike on warehouse in Bucha<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921465-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921465\" data-cid=\"9893723\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921465-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/90\/320x180_cmsv2_8ea189fb-c8c1-58c5-9f84-e794ee3431b3-9893690.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Schakal wheeled infantry fighting vehicle\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bundeswehr expands &#8216;Schakal&#8217; fleet for NATO&#8217;s eastern flank<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921232-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921232\" data-cid=\"9893458\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ceuta &#8216;on the brink of collapse&#8217; as Spain seeks Frontex support<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921322-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921322\" data-cid=\"9892933\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Disgusting\u2019: Donald Trump faces backlash for posting AI image of him and Dolly Parton<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921342-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921342\" data-cid=\"9893355\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    C\u00e9line Dion concerts: Canadian star returns to Paris after six years away from the stage<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921098-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921098\" data-cid=\"9891879\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Chinese imports plunge 30% to 40% after EU tax on small parcels<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921236-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921236\" data-cid=\"9892527\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Greek F-16s intercept Turkish drone over northern Aegean<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">\u201cShould Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?\u201dThis is the question being put to 270,000 Icelanders on Saturday 29 August. From 9am local time, eligible voters will head to the polls to chart their nation&#8217;s course closer to the European Union \u2014 or further away.The results from the referendum will determine whether the island of 400,000 people should restart negotiations to join the 27-member bloc, or place the revived idea on the backburner for the foreseeable future.Early polling shows that the results will most likely be down to the wire. An August survey by polling agency Mask\u00edna showed a narrow lead, with 51.3% of respondents in favour of restarting talks and 48.7% opposed.The split indicates tensions over the upcoming plebiscite, which has exposed political fault lines in Iceland covering matters from security to the seas.Defence remains a particular flashpoint. Iceland is wary of being caught in the crosshairs by Russia\u2019s growing economic and strategic interest in the area, on the one hand, and statements made by US President Donald Trump, who has repeated threatened to annex Greenland, on the other.But locals are pointing to far more domestic issues that could determine the knife-edge result, from the soaring cost of living to fishing and farming.Icelandic Prime Minister Kristr\u00fan Frostad\u00f3ttir told Euronews in April that there must be a \u201cbalanced discussion\u201d regarding the referendum.So, what is being discussed, what are the major sticking points, and why does it all matter? Ahead of the vote, Euronews answers your most pressing questions.What is Iceland voting on?Saturday\u2019s referendum question will be: \u201cShould Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?\u201d The options will be simply \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d.Crucially, the referendum will decide only whether the government of Iceland should restart accession negotiations with the EU; it is not a vote to determine whether the country should join the EU. That decision would need to be put to a second referendum, as well as being ratified by the 27 EU member states.Polling stations in Reykjav\u00edk\u00a0will open at 9am on Saturday and close at 10pm that evening. Results are expected to roll through in the hours following.What is the back story?Iceland first applied to join the EU in 2009, a year after it and other countries were rocked by the 2008 financial crisis. Formal negotiations began in 2010, with membership seen by the Icelandic government as a possible means to shoring up the Icelandic kr\u00f3na.Yet after two years of lobbying by a Eurosceptic government, the bid was put on hold in 2013.In the years since, security priorities have shifted dramatically, with Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reshaping vulnerabilities across the High North.Financial calculations have also altered, with many officials such as the Iceland&#8217;s Finance Minister Da\u00f0i M\u00e1r Krist\u00f3fersson telling Reuters he is hopeful that Iceland joining the EU could boost the country&#8217;s economy, rocked by high inflation.Trump\u2019s re-election has also sown discord within the transatlantic alliance and thrown question marks over the US-Iceland 1951 defence agreement. This is a treaty committing the US to support Iceland\u2019s defence on behalf of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), with Iceland accommodating US bases and forces.Iceland&#8217;s shift back toward the EU path came in 2024, following Frostad\u00f3ttir&#8217;s centre-left government vote into power. After the win, the EU executive confirmed that Iceland&#8217;s EU application \u2014 submitted more than a decade earlier \u2014 remains valid.In early 2026, the country\u2019s prime minister made good on her promise. She announced there would be a referendum to decide whether EU negotiations should restart, with the vote scheduled for 29 August 2026.What have the campaigners said?While not a member of the EU, Iceland is a participant in the European Economic Area (EEA). As with Norway, this means Iceland is granted access to the EU\u2019s single market.EEA membership means Iceland has already adopted a majority of the EU\u2019s rules, equating to roughly 9,000 legal acts. Proponents of a \u201cyes\u201d vote argue that restarting EU negotiations, with the outcome of eventually joining the bloc, would give Iceland a seat at the table when it comes to negotiating these files.Proponents of \u201cno\u201d argue that Iceland\u2019s EEA membership and access to the single market should be enough, and full membership is not required.Haraldur \u00d3lafsson, the chairman of Eurosceptic platform Heimss\u00fdn, previously told Euronews that since Iceland already adheres to 75% of EU rules, \u201cthere is no need for more\u201d.Foreign Minister \u00deorger\u00f0ur Katr\u00edn Gunnarsd\u00f3ttir has remarked that fisheries are the other major issue among &#8220;no&#8221; voters. Iceland&#8217;s fisheries industry body, Fisheries Iceland, has raised concerns over a range of EU fish rules, arguing that EU membership would leave Iceland without &#8220;the power to act as an independent coastal state&#8221;.The EU&#8217;s Common Fisheries Policy sets catch limits and quotas across member states \u2013 a policy that has long strained relations between Reykjav\u00edk and Brussels.The notorious so-called &#8220;mackerel wars&#8221; stemmed from Iceland adopting a unilateral position on mackerel quotas that the EU considered excessive, putting strain on the country&#8217;s former EU accession bid.This slice of Icelandic history is expected to loom large in the mind of most voters, as its fish industries makes up 6.5% of the country&#8217;s GDP and employs thousands.What has the European Union said?&#8221;We share values, we know each other very well, we are like-minded, so we are close partners,&#8221; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during her visit to Iceland in July 2025.She used her visit to the Nordic island to trumpet its assets \u2014 it shares the same values as the EU, is a member of the single market, and for a mostly pacifist country, maintains robust defences.It is von der Leyen\u2019s enlargement official, European Commissioner Marta Kos, however, who spelled out Iceland\u2019s EU prospects in more concrete terms. As first reported by Politico, Kos said that Iceland could formalise accession negotiations by 2027, as its former bid remains valid.When Iceland put its application on hold in 2013, 27 negotiating chapters had been opened. Eleven of those chapters were provisionally closed. The segment on fisheries, however, remained a major thorn in the side of the country&#8217;s negotiation talks.However, Kos recently hinted on social media platform Bluesky that Brussels may be ready to find common ground on the delicate issue. &#8220;Accession negotiations always reflect the specific realities of each candidate country,&#8221; she wrote.How much do foreign threats loom over the ballot?Magn\u00fas Magn\u00fasson chairs a platform advocating for closer ties with the EU. He previously told Euronews that the country\u2019s critical infrastructure is under \u201cconstant attack\u201d by Russian actors, and it needs to be secured. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things that the EU can help with in that respect,\u201d he said.NATO has also acknowledged Russia and China&#8217;s growing appetite for power in the High North. The alliance in response has since stepped up activity in the region, such as air policing and greater submarine surveillance.Another boon to the push is to appease Trump, who has argued the US needed the autonomous territory of Greenland for national security reasons, citing increased activity in the area by both Russia and China.He has often mistaken Iceland for Greenland when repeating his threats, with experts telling Euronews this has sent alarm bells ringing in Reykjav\u00edk. It is also no secret that Washington wants to Europeanise NATO and review its security presence across the continent, something that the European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius estimates could cost Europe \u20ac500 billion.The EU\u2019s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also acknowledged that the EU and Iceland&#8217;s security situations are intertwined amid interest from the Kremlin to Beijing.\u201cFrom Russian threats to seabed infrastructure to China\u2019s growing interest in the Arctic, addressing these together gives us greater leverage,\u201d Kallas said at a joint press conference from March conference celebrating Security and Defence Partnership between Iceland and the EU.At the meeting celebrating the pact, aiming to boost defence cooperation between the entities, the country\u2019s foreign minister \u00deorger\u00f0ur Katr\u00edn Gunnarsd\u00f3ttir reportedly said that the EEA agreement has provided the strong foundations for this relationship, but that the world is changing. \u201cWe must face these changes,&#8221; she added.European Policy Centre senior advisor Tobias Etzold has opined that growing doubt over US reliability in the region, paired with an increasingly adversarial Russia, is what reignited the EU referendum debate in Iceland.And it is the theatre of geopolitics that has injected &#8220;fresh dynamism&#8221; into a discussion that had lain dormant for more than a decade.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/08\/28\/icelands-eu-referendum-what-to-know-ahead-of-vote-and-whats-at-stake-for-europe&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/02\/01\/1200x675_cmsv2_3ac1c46e-23e4-531b-8464-dd337241a2ef-9890201.jpg&#8221;] Europe News Nepal flood highlights growing risk of glacier disasters in the Alps Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | August 29th, 2026 \u2013 Midday Culture news Hollywood&#8217;s &#8216;Odyssey&#8217; craze turns eyes to Turkey: Did Homer compose his epics in an Izmir cave? Europe News Bundeswehr expands &#8216;Schakal&#8217; fleet for NATO&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2117733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2117733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117733\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2117733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2117733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2117733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}