Iceland rejects EU-accession talks plan in referendum

The ‘No’ camp had 52.5 percent and the ‘Yes’ camp had 47.5 percent with only a few ballots left to count, public broadcaster RUV reports.⁠Icelanders have rejected the government’s ⁠⁠proposal to resume accession talks with the European Union, reported the ‌‌public broadcaster RUV.With only a few ballots left to be counted in one of Iceland’s six voting districts, the ‘No’ camp won 52.5 percent of votes, with 47.5 percent saying ‘Yes’.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Vote count under way in Iceland’s knife-edge EU referendumlist 2 of 3Iceland rejects EU accession talks plan in referendumlist 3 of 3Iceland votes in a tight race on whether to resume talks to join the EUend of list“The nation rejects accession negotiations with the EU,” RUV reported.The result deals a blow to Brussels, which had been keen to welcome a new wealthy member and had expressed a willingness to compromise with Reykjavík on fisheries and other thorny issues to facilitate accession.Brussels had also hoped to be able to present Icelandic membership as an example of positive enlargement that could also make it more palatable for member states to agree to take in less wealthy countries such as Montenegro.The government had framed its membership plan as a “now or never” moment, and Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir told voters in August that voting ‘No’ would put all EU speculation aside.‘Yes’ campaigners said joining the bloc could ease high interest rates and offer more security in a world unsettled by war in Ukraine and United States President Donald Trump’s rhetoric ⁠⁠about annexing another Arctic island, neighbouring Greenland.‘No’ campaigners said EU ⁠⁠membership would threaten Iceland’s sovereignty and its fishing industry.It has been fiercely opposed to joining the bloc – 90 percent of companies in the industry were against the idea – and the EU had tried to woo them with a conciliatory approach ahead of the vote.