Iceland set to reject restarting EU talks

According to RÚV, “No” leads by 8,598 votes nationwide outside the Southwest constituency. The latest count there also favors opponents of renewed EU talks, with 16,900 votes, or 51.5%, against 15,900, or 48.5%, for “Yes.”

For the “Yes” side to overturn the nationwide deficit, it would need to outperform “No” by at least 9,599 votes among the remaining ballots in Southwest, requiring a significant shift from the constituency’s current voting pattern.

Final results from the Northeast constituency showed 15,822 votes, or 61.2%, against restarting negotiations, compared with 10,002, or 38.8%, in favor. In the South constituency, “No” secured 60.5%, while 39.5% voted “Yes.”

The Northwest constituency also strongly opposed renewed negotiations, with “No” receiving 62.9% and “Yes” 37.1%.

Support for reopening talks was considerably stronger in the capital. Reykjavík North voted 57.5% in favor, while Reykjavík South backed “Yes” with 54.5%.

The referendum asked Icelanders whether the country should resume accession negotiations with the EU. Iceland originally applied for membership in 2009 following the global financial crisis, but negotiations were later suspended.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who supports reopening talks, described the referendum as an important opportunity for voters.

“This is a great day, we’ve been waiting for this for years to be able to have a vote,” she said after casting her ballot.

Even a “Yes” victory would not automatically make Iceland an EU member. Any negotiated accession agreement would ultimately have to be put to voters in a second referendum.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s CEC announced preliminary results of the August 23 Qurultay elections, with voter turnout reaching 74.08% and the Adilet party securing 71.17% of the vote.