The Icelanders voted on Saturday against the continuation of the accession negotiations to the European Union. The referendum was considered by the Icelandic government as a moment of "now or never" for the question of European integration. The vote represented a definitive end point in the discussions about the country's entry into the European bloc.
The result of the referendum clearly rejected the accession negotiations, ending a process that had been ongoing for several years. Icelandic society had been divided on the European question over time, but Saturday's consultation showed a majority position against integration.
The government had high stakes in this popular consultation, trying to use the referendum as a last opportunity to resolve the issue. However, the message sent by the voters was one of rejection of the negotiations with the European Union.
With this result, Iceland definitively abandons the path toward accession to the European bloc. The Nordic country will thus maintain its relationship with the European Union only through the European Economic Area, without being a full member of the organization.
