Icelanders reject restarting EU membership talks by 52.8% to 47.2%

Icelanders rejected a proposal to reopen membership negotiations with the EU by 52.8% to 47.2%, according to final results released Sunday by public broadcaster RUV.

The last remaining ballots, from the Southwest Constituency, were announced at 10 am local time, confirming a narrow national majority against restarting the talks.

Results varied sharply by region. Both Reykjavik constituencies backed a Yes vote — 57.5% in Reykjavik North and 54.5% in Reykjavik South. Every other constituency voted No: 62.9% in the Northwest, 61.2% in the Northeast, 60% in the South and 53% in the Southwest.

Icelanders went to the polls Saturday in a closely contested referendum on whether to restart EU accession talks frozen for more than a decade. The vote was not on membership itself. A Yes result would have authorized the government to resume negotiations suspended more than 10 years ago; any eventual accession agreement would still have required a second referendum.