Iceland votes against resuming EU accession talks in referendum

Icelanders have voted against resuming negotiations on the Nordic country's accession to the European Union in a referendum, local media reported on Sunday.

In Saturday's referendum, 52.8% of ballots cast ​were against the government's proposal to hold negotiations with Brussels, 47.2% were in favor, and 82.5% of eligible voters took ⁠part, according to public broadcaster RUV and other Icelandic media.

Out of six constituencies, only the two in central Reykjavik had a majority that voted in favor, while the ​rural areas and the Reykjavik suburbs voted against.

The Arctic island of about 400,000 people has debated whether to join the EU for well over a decade and had initially been expected to narrowly back holding membership talks, but opinion polls this month showed views had changed.

"This is a clear setback ​for Brussels," an EU diplomat told Reuters.

In Brussels, some officials had voiced hopes a vote to join from Iceland could ease skepticism toward EU enlargement and strategically strengthen the bloc when Arctic security is in focus.

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009. Accession talks were suspended in 2013 after a Eurosceptic government took office. However, according to Icelandic parliamentary documents, the European Commission has maintained that the application was never formally withdrawn.

(With input from agencies)