Iceland’s EU Referendum Defeat Prompts Call for a More Attractive Union

Iceland’s decision to reject the resumption of European Union accession talks has prompted Germany to question why the bloc failed to attract more support. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the result as a defeat for the EU and said it should consider how to become more appealing.

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That would have been a great chance to become stronger together.

The referendum was narrowly decided. Opponents received 52.8% of the vote, while 47.2% supported restarting the talks. Iceland had previously held accession negotiations, but those discussions were abandoned after a dispute centered largely on fishing, the island’s biggest and most identity-defining economic sector.

Wadephul said the vote showed that EU membership is not an automatic aspiration for every country. He called for closer attention to the economic prospects the bloc offers and said the EU should not lose sight of a possible northern enlargement that could include Iceland and Norway.

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For the European Union, this means we must think about how we can become more attractive.

The result received support from British right-wing populist Nigel Farage and French National Rally leader Marine Le Pen. Farage congratulated Iceland on what he described as a decision to preserve its independence.

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Congratulations to Iceland on the decision to preserve its independence.

EU accession negotiations require candidate countries to align with the bloc’s values and laws. Progress depends on how quickly a candidate implements the required reforms. Iceland’s Foreign Ministry had said before the referendum that its application, submitted in 2009, remained valid. During a visit about a year earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Iceland and the EU as close partners with shared values.

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We share common values, know each other very well, and are like-minded, so we are close partners.