Iceland's government will ask parliament to authorise an autumn referendum on whether to restart EU accession talks, public broadcaster RUV reported. The bill is expected to be submitted next week and sources say the vote would most likely take place in late September. Renewed public interest follows higher living costs, the war in Ukraine and heightened Arctic geopolitical tensions.
Iceland To Propose Autumn Referendum On Resuming EU Accession Talks, RUV Says
Cars are parked on the Old Harbour area of Reykjavik, Iceland, October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
STOCKHOLM, March 5 (Reuters) - Iceland's government plans to ask parliament to approve a referendum this autumn on whether the country should resume European Union accession talks that were suspended more than a decade ago, public broadcaster RUV reported on Thursday, citing government sources.
RUV said the government intends to submit the bill to parliament next week and that, according to those sources, the referendum is most likely to be scheduled for late September.
Key Context
- Iceland suspended EU membership negotiations in 2013 after four years of talks.
- Recent economic pressures, including a rise in the cost of living, and security concerns following the war in Ukraine have renewed public interest in EU membership, according to polls.
- Geopolitical developments in the Arctic — including past talk about Greenland — have intensified debate over Iceland's international alignments.
- Earlier this year the prime minister indicated a referendum on the issue would take place in the coming months.
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Jane Merriman)
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