A narrow majority of Icelanders support resuming negotiations for joining the European Union on the eve of a national referendum to be held on Saturday. This is indicated by a new public opinion poll. At the same time, support has slightly decreased compared to the previous survey.
A poll conducted by the agency Maskina from August 21 to 25 among 1,019 people showed that 51.3% of respondents support conducting negotiations with Brussels regarding EU membership, while 48.7% are opposed. This was reported by the Icelandic daily newspaper Visir. The gap between supporters and opponents of the negotiations has further narrowed compared to the August 13 poll, when 52.2% supported the resumption of negotiations and 47.8% were opposed.
The August 29 referendum does not involve a direct vote on joining the EU. If an agreement is reached as a result of the negotiations, Iceland will have to hold a second referendum in which citizens will decide whether to join the European Union under the agreed terms.
Why Iceland is again interested in the EU
Reykjavik halted EU membership negotiations in 2013 after four years of talks. However, the rising cost of living and the war in Ukraine have been among the factors that in recent years have contributed to the renewed interest of Iceland in joining the bloc of 27 countries.
Repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Greenland, located between Iceland and the USA, have also increased the country’s interest in possible EU membership.
What benefits Iceland already has and how EU membership would change things
Iceland is already part of the single European market, the Schengen Zone, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) along with Norway and Liechtenstein. At the same time, the country has no formal influence on how the European Union develops.
EU membership would allow Iceland to directly participate in the decision-making process through institutions such as the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and the European Parliament. It would also involve the country joining the EU customs union and create the possibility of switching to the euro.
If the vote is «yes» in Saturday’s referendum, negotiations on accession could begin by the end of 2026 and be completed within 18–24 months, according to the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Source: REUTERS
