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    Iceland votes against restarting talks on joining EU
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    Iceland votes against restarting talks on joining EU

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    43 Comments

    1. zdzislav_kozibroda on

      Unpopular opinion: If any country is so divided on EU membership it’s better for everyone if it doesn’t join.

      The last thing we all need is another UK-like negotiation saga.

    2. VTKajin on

      Disappointing, but close enough that it probably warrants another referendum in the 2030s. Also Icelandic society is clearly heavily split on this so I expect the debate will rage on.

    3. TheSimon1 on

      Even if the results wrre flipped then would there even be a point to start the negotiations? If people are so divided over negotiations which have no impact on Iceland, there’s no way an actual membership would pass

    4. Gruffleson on

      As with Norway, the problem is the fish. While winegrape-growing nations split out their land in property, fishing nations organize the ocean as a commons.

      But negotiating with the EU when EU says they then needs to get a big share of that commons just doesn’t work. Will EU also give up rigths to come and harvest grape? Oh, that’s right. The French would be angry just by the question, and say this is nonsense.

      Because they do not get it.

    5. pedrakhan on

      joining something thats hard to get out should be atleast a 2/3 majority vote

      but still not sure if this outcome is the result of icelanders not wanting to join or the fish lobby not wanting to join.

      and kinda fear the latter which is not a good thing

    7. torstenson on

      What do the EU even gain from having deals with Iceland. Let them find other partners. The time for cherry pickning and free riding is over.

    9. chrisni66 on

      I must admit, I am a little surprised. This wasn’t a vote on joining, it was a vote on negotiations. Surely you’d at least want to see what you could get out of the EU before saying No?…

    11. Fokabaszo_Fingbag on

      Just let the fishing traditions thrive in Iceland and Norway. Instantly 2 countries joining. Especially if we reject third world mass immigration.

      That instantly increase the support for EU.

    13. transportgeek on

      What’s interesting in this is that, according to RÚV, this happened because support for the EU was too lukewarm specially in Reykjavík, more so than in rural Iceland…

    14. Prestigious_Sea_5121 on

      There are fewer people in Iceland than in Frankfurt, Germany. It’s not really relevant to the EU. Symbolically, it would have been nice. But in real economic terms irrelevant.

    15. FerraristDX on

      It’s too bad, this would have been a propaganda victory for the EU. It’s important to counter the narrative about the EU falling apart, when you have countries on hand, who willingly want to join. On the other hand, member states shouldn’t join at all costs. When Icelanders prefer becoming Trump’s latest shiny new toy, then so be it.

    16. CJBizzle on

      Seems a bit short sighted. If you don’t even start the negotiation, you don’t know whether the eventual deal would have been worth having.

    17. NeedleGunMonkey on

      Iceland can already have access to the market through EEA without relinquishing its sovereignty when it comes to fishery rights. Does ANYONE care about joining the EU BESIDES access to the EEA?

    19. DigSpelledBackwards on

      When the Trump administration starts roaring about Iceland they will quickly change their tune

    20. Over-Willingness-933 on

      The debate reminded me of Brexit. The pro EU faction received most of the attention and every opinion poll was probably EU. When people voted it was a different matter. I noticed on TV how few people who were against it were interviewed compared to the people who were for it.

    23. Mimirovitch on

      That’s a lesson for EU, why are we not that attractive ?
      One of my guesses is this commission having a really bad image and being way too authoritarian.
      This can’t be only about fishes like some try to say

    27. KotR56 on

      If *someone from the US* congratulates the Icelandic people on their decision, you know they made the wrong one.

    28. IzlenskurApi on

      I’m Icelandic. The vote became a farce as the opposition successfully made it about the current government. I know a lot of people who would have voted yes but didn’t because “their” conservative party told them not to. That and the oligarchs used crazy MAGA fake news tactics successfully making this the first time in a while their position have won an election. Our oldest and previously prestigous newspaper, Morgunblaðið (The Morning Paper), has actually been bought by the biggest fishing companies and is running 2.000.000€ loss yearly just to be a propaganda platform.

      Well, status quo for the next decade it is.

    29. Pepedani on

      They are cold as ice…  they are willing to sacrifice our love. They never take advice. Someday they’ll pay the price.

    30. Grdosjek on

      It’s better for everyone tbh. If they don’t even want to talk about it, if they don’t even want to negotiate and see what they could gain or loose and than vote on if they want to accept it or not than this really is win for both EU and Iceland.

    31. Socmel_ on

      Good. The EU is not destined to include the countries in Europe.

      We are already 27 members. No need to add anything. Personally, I’d make an exception for Ukraine because they are paying their dues in blood, and leave the Western Balkans to their own device.

      Serbia giving Mladic state funerals is a perfect reminder that we’d call for more troubles.

    32. Yelesa on

      I would love for Iceland to join us in the future, but if they themselves are so divided on the matter, then it’s okay if they don’t. I wouldn’t want this to become a new talking point that just divides the country at every situation, so it’s better to have a resounding ‘yes’ in these cases, than a maybe ‘yes’.

    34. pokenonbinary on

      That would mean cheaper tickets for Iceland since no taxes for flights? Like most European Union inside flight

    35. itsjujutsu on

      With the state of the EU right now and the wonderful new laws they are introducing, this is probs good thing for them

    36. charlu on

      Remember France 2005 : 55% against the treaty (and the same in the Netherlands).

      But our politicians agreed to vote against popular will two years later. And here we are 20 years later, very near from war. What a progress !

      Congratulations Iceland, stay away from that shit.

    39. Melodic-Piccolo5751 on

      I don’t blame them, seems like a rational choice. They are already in the EEA, Schengen, and NATO. They would only be getting regulations upon regulations (some of which quite absurd) only to receive reduced interest rates in return. Poor balkan countries are very interested in joining the EU to unlock those sweet EU funds, and for optics, to attract investors. Wealthy countries like Iceland don’t need any of that.

    42. DDIBELL on

      I don’t know much about this and am curious or interested in:

      Why or What are the reasons Iceland have objections to restarting talks to join The EU.

      Or

      Why do they not want to join the EU?

    43. RegnarDd on

      And mind you, they only pay ~€50 million per year to be part of the EEA. This about should be at least 5% of GDP, I’m sure they would’ve reconsidered.