Iceland Proposes August Referendum On EU Membership Talks

The government of Iceland has proposed holding a national referendum on August 29, 2026, to decide whether the country should resume negotiations to join the European Union.

Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir said the proposal will be presented to parliament next week, allowing Icelanders to vote on whether accession talks with the EU should restart.

Iceland initially applied to join the EU in 2009 following its financial crisis, and negotiations began in 2010. However, talks were suspended in 2013 and formally abandoned in 2015 after a change in government.

Prime Minister Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir said the referendum would only determine whether negotiations should resume, stressing that any final decision on EU membership would require a second referendum.

Recent opinion polls suggest public support for reopening talks, as rising living costs and shifting security concerns in Europe have renewed debate over Iceland’s relationship with the EU.