Iceland’s voters rejected a proposal to restart negotiations on joining the European Union more than a decade after previous talks ended, the national broadcaster reported Sunday.
The vote will put the long-debated issue to rest more than a decade after a euroskeptic government ended EU talks.
Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%, RUV reported. The capital of Reykjavik was the only area in the island nation of 400,000 people where a majority supported the referendum.
Its all about fish quota
The main issue is the common fisheries policy. That is the policy that would have allowed fishing vessels from other countries to fish in Icelandic waters, and vice versa. It’s a sensitive topic to Iceland, because fishing is such a large part of their economy and their identity.
It’s still a bit silly to not even bother negotiating with the EU though, because the EU had signaled that the common fisheries policy was something that could be a topic of negotiation. Without talks we will never know if the EU was willing to give Iceland an exemption on the common fisheries policy.
It’s worth keeping in mind that this was a refending on resuming negotiations. There would have been a second referendum on whether or not to accept the deal that would have resulted from those negotiations.
So dedicated to destroying marine life that they will leave their country vulnerable to invasion by fascists. Selfish idiots.
Just wait until Mr. Poopypants comes calling.
Mr. Poopybutthole checking in
“Hyyyywoooo -WEE!”
Damn that’s really close to the Brexit vote figures
Weird
Iceland has always been very close to a 50/50 split on whether to join the EU or not. In the end it came down to the undecided voters, who ultimately landed on the “no” camp in the last few days before the referendum.
Edit: From my understanding polling for the youth vote also switched from “yes” to “no” at the last moment, so I have my suspicions that there may have been some Tiktok propaganda tomfoolery going on as well.
As a German, I would welcome Iceland to our family, but only with a higher agreement rate.
I don’t want to have a second Brexit any time soon. 52 to 48 is bull (even if it was in favor), make it 75 and we’re talking.
I was talking to my boyfriend a few weeks ago (he’s from Iceland) and he pointed out that in order to actually join the EU they’d need to amend the constitution. Specifically on the topic of sovereignty.
In order to update the constitution they need a 2/3rds majority in parliament twice, with a parliamentary election in between.
And that is on top of a second referendum that’d have to pass after a deal with the EU has been hammered out.Joining the EU would not be decided by such a narrow victory in a singular referendum.
I don’t know the specific of the politics surrounding this, but it might be easier to get a two-thirds supermajority in a parliamentary vote than a simple majority in a popular vote.
I don’t want to have a second Brexit any time soon.
How were other EU nations/citizens affected by Brexit?
You mean aside the financial burden due to the massive efforts that have been put into the diplomacy and the setting up of border stations and import checks and whatever?
It was annoying as fuck.
Social media propaganda makes election interference so easy.
I think they should reconsider, joining the European Union would lower the risk of war with the usa.
This was the reason for the vote.
Good. Why would you want to be bossed around by genocidal EU anyways?
Do yourselves a favour and stay out of it, the EU might have started as something good but it’s been corrupted by people that shouldn’t be in any governing position and should have been removed and replaced a long time ago.
“What is a vague and carefully unfalsifiable way to slander an entire continent?”, Alex.
I’m pretty sure they’re referring to the corrupt politicians that are in charge at the minute, not the entire continent.
Just wait until a bigger problem comes, then the EU will crumble. It is a virtual construct which works on paper, but not in reality. The amount of time and money they are wasting is just in no proportion to what the countries get back.
I love how everyone keeps downvoting, unable to accept the reality that the EU might not be so great as they keep imagining.
Next up: NATO is the same, bullshit that works on paper, but does not in a real conflict.
I’m not sure why you’re getting downvoted, I mean the corruption you mention is there for everyone to see, this year it’s been more blatant than ever.
It’s very reminiscent of 'An Anecdote for the Lowering of Productivity’ by Heinrich Böll A.K.A The Fisherman and the Businessman/Industrialist parable.
It’s the same with MAGA in America, they can’t accept reality.
