Icelandic European Union membership referendum

The then Social Democratic Alliance led government of Iceland applied to join the EU in July 2009 after the country suffered a severe financial crisis. Despite three years of negotiations, several major issues remain outstanding, including the Common Fisheries Policy. On 14 January, the Icelandic government announced that negotiations would be suspended until after the parliamentary election in April.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-26/iceland-won-t-finish-eu-talks-before-next-parliament-elections |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118182456/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-26/iceland-won-t-finish-eu-talks-before-next-parliament-elections |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 18, 2013 |title=Iceland Won't Finish EU Talks Before Next Parliament Elections |work=Businessweek |date=2012-03-26 |access-date=2013-03-12}} No new chapters will be opened prior to the election, though negotiations will continue on chapters that have already been opened.{{cite web|url=http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/BREAKING_NEWS_Iceland_to_Slow_Down_EU_Talks_0_396859.news.aspx|title=BREAKING NEWS: Iceland to Slow Down EU Talks|date=2013-01-14|access-date=2013-01-14|work=Iceland Review|archive-date=2013-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024003411/http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/BREAKING_NEWS_Iceland_to_Slow_Down_EU_Talks_0_396859.news.aspx|url-status=dead}} The ruling left-wing parties suffered a major defeat in the elections, while the centrist Progressive Party had a large victory.

The leaders of the Progressive Party and the Independence Party, which both oppose Icelandic EU membership, announced on 22 May 2013 that a coalition platform had been reached that would suspend all accession talks with the EU and not resume them unless first approved by a referendum.{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.eu/article/iceland-to-hold-vote-on-eu-accession-talks/|title=Iceland to hold vote on EU accession talks|work=Politico Europe|last=Gardner|first=Andrew|date=2013-05-23|access-date=2013-05-26}}{{cite news|title=Stjórnarsáttmáli kynntur á Laugarvatni |url=http://ruv.is/frett/stjornarsattmali-kynntur-a-laugarvatni |access-date=22 May 2013 |date=22 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111184157/http://ruv.is/frett/stjornarsattmali-kynntur-a-laugarvatni |archive-date=11 November 2013 }} The advisor to Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, the incoming Prime Minister, stated that "later in the term there will be a referendum on whether Iceland should continue the talks, although no date has been decided."{{cite web|url=http://www.neurope.eu/article/government-halt-eu-accession-talks-indefinitely|title=Government to halt EU accession talks indefinitely|date=2013-05-25|access-date=2013-05-26|archive-date=2014-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731001108/http://www.neurope.eu/article/government-halt-eu-accession-talks-indefinitely|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.moneynews.com/Markets/Iceland-Europe-Crisis-Currency/2013/05/22/id/505739|title= Iceland Freezes EU Plans as New Government Shuns Euro Crisis|date=2013-05-22|access-date=2013-05-26}} The new Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson stated that "We believe the accession talks were started without the necessary support in Iceland. We will not go further with the talks. We also have to listen to what the EU has to say about our approach; maybe it will make no sense to hold a referendum"{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6c88e05a-c2dd-11e2-9bcb-00144feab7de.html#axzz2UNiBQkZU|title=Iceland's new coalition government suspends EU accession talks|date=2013-05-22|access-date=2013-05-26|last=Milne|first=Richard|work=Financial Times}}

On 22 February, the governing parties agreed to formally withdraw the membership application, without first holding a referendum on the matter, and submitted a bill to parliament seeking their approval to do so.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/iceland-moves-to-withdraw-eu-application/article5717175.ece|title=Iceland moves to withdraw EU application|date=2014-02-22|access-date=2014-02-22|newspaper=The Hindu}}{{cite web|url=http://www.icenews.is/2014/02/26/iceland-to-withdraw-eu-membership-bid-amid-protests/|title=Iceland to withdraw EU membership bid amid protests|date=2014-02-26|access-date=2014-03-01|work=IceNews}} However, on February 25, Ragnheiður Ríkharðsdóttir, Chairman of the Independence Party parliamentarian group, announced her intention to not vote in favour of the proposal.{{cite web|url=http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/02/26/ten-percent-icelanders-sign-eu-referendum-petition|title=Ten Percent of Icelanders Sign EU Referendum Petition|date=2014-02-26|access-date=2014-03-01|last=Stefánsson|first=Páll|newspaper=Iceland Review}}

The Independence/Progressive coalition lost its majority in the 2016 Icelandic parliamentary election. After several failed attempts to form a government from alternative combinations, a new coalition was formed in January 2017, led by the Independence party and joined by Regeneration and Bright Future, both of whom support EU membership and the former of whom was originally a splinter movement that left the Independence party over this very issue. The coalition deal included a pledge to hold a parliamentary vote on whether to hold an EU membership referendum.

On 21 March 2022, party leaders from the Social Democratic Alliance, the Pirate Party and Viðreisn, have submitted their proposals to the Althing that an EU membership referendum be held before the end of 2022.{{Cite web |last=johannav |date=2022-03-21 |title=Vilja þjóðaratkvæðagreiðslu um ESB-aðild |url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/2022/03/21/vilja-thjodaratkvaedagreidslu-um-esb-adild |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=RÚV |language=is}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-22 |title=From Iceland — Question Of Iceland Joining The EU Hangs In The Balance In Parliament |url=https://grapevine.is/news/2022/03/22/question-of-iceland-joining-the-eu-hangs-in-the-balance-in-parliament/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=The Reykjavik Grapevine |language=en-US}}

On 15 September 2022, the three party leaders from those parties made a draft question to the referendum: "Do you want Iceland to take up the matter in negotiations with the European Union with the aim of concluding a membership agreement that would be submitted to the nation for approval or rejection? Answer options would be yes or no."{{Cite web |last=johannav |date=2022-09-15 |title=Vilja þjóðaratkvæðagreiðslu um viðræður við ESB |url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/2022/09/15/vilja-thjodaratkvaedagreidslu-um-vidraedur-vid-esb |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=RÚV |language=is}}

On 20 September, the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance, Logi Már Einarsson, wrote a speech for Icelandic President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson requesting the referendum before the end of 2023.{{Cite web |title=þjóðaratkvæðagreiðsla um framhald viðræðna við Evrópusambandið. |url=https://www.althingi.is/altext/raeda/153/rad20220920T140943.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Alþingi |language=is}}

On 23 March 2023, according to Jon Steindor Valdimarsson, as the polls indicates that 66% supported on the referendum, he believed that such scenario would be that such referendum should be held before the next elections in 2025.{{Cite journal |last=lars |title=Iceland starting to ponder EU membership |journal=Nordic Labour Journal |url=http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/i-fokus/in-focus-2023/the-nordics-and-the-eu/article.2023-03-15.9085757739 |language=en}}

On 18 September 2023, a draft bill for the referendum was proposed by Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, with support from the members of the Social Democratic Alliance, the Pirate Party and Viðreisn, including Logi Már.{{Cite web |title=Þjóðaratkvæðagreiðsla um framhald viðræðna við Evrópusambandið |url=https://www.althingi.is/thingstorf/thingmalalistar-eftir-thingum/ferill/154/186/?ltg=154&mnr=186 |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=Alþingi |language=is}} As of 10 October 2024, it is now in the hands of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Following the 2024 Icelandic parliamentary election, the Social Democratic Alliance, Viðreisn and People's Party formed a new coalition government, which agreed to hold a referendum on resuming negotiations on EU membership by 2027.{{cite web|url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/politics/2024/12/21/icelands-social-democrats-reach-deal-for-coalition-government/|title=Iceland’s Social Democrats Reach Deal for New Government|date=2024-12-21|accessdate=2024-12-21|publisher=BNN Bloomberg}} Prior to organizing the referendum, the new government will first establish a panel of independent experts to assess the advantages and disadvantages of retaining the Icelandic crown compared to adopting the euro currency, which it believes will ensure a more mature debate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.visir.is/g/20242667096d/thjodaratkvaedagreidsla-um-esb-eigi-sidar-en-2027|title=Þjóðaratkvæðagreiðsla um ESB eigi síðar en 2027|trans-title=Referendum on EU no later than 2027|language=Icelandic|author=Jón Ísak Ragnarsson|publisher=Visir|date=21 December 2024|access-date=30 December 2024}}

{{see also|Iceland–European Union relations#Public opinion}}

In May 2013 voter support for joining the European Union was at 25%.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/iceland/10073787/Iceland-heads-for-EU-referendum.html Iceland heads for EU referendum] The Daily Telegraph, 22 May 2013 A poll released in January 2014 found that 67.5% of Icelanders support holding a referendum on the continuation of accession negotiations.{{cite web|url=http://www.grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Most-Icelanders-Want-Vote-On-Finishing-EU-Talks|title=Most Icelanders Want Vote On Finishing EU Talks|date=2014-01-31|access-date=2014-02-22|first=Paul|last=Fontaine|newspaper=The Reykjavík Grapevine|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204060040/http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Most-Icelanders-Want-Vote-On-Finishing-EU-Talks|archive-date=2014-02-04}} The government's decision in late February to withdraw Iceland's membership application without a referendum led to thousands of protesters taking to the streets outside of the Parliament buildings in Reykjavik.{{cite web|url=http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/02/25/three-thousand-protest-outside-parliament|title=Three Thousand Protest outside Parliament|last=Robert|first=Zoë|date=2014-02-25|access-date=2014-03-01|newspaper=Iceland Review}}{{cite web|url=http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/02/24/icelanders-protest-governments-plans-stop-eu-talks|title=Icelanders Protest Government's Plans to Stop EU Talks|last=Robert|first=Zoë|date=2014-02-24|access-date=2014-03-01|newspaper=Iceland Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305062027/http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/02/24/icelanders-protest-governments-plans-stop-eu-talks|archive-date=2014-03-05|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/05225136-9fbd-11e3-b6c7-00144feab7de.html#axzz2ukmDhmjz|title=Thousands demand EU referendum in Iceland|first=Richard|last=Milne|date=2014-02-27|access-date=2014-03-01|newspaper=Financial Times}} By 28 February 2014, 82% were in favour of holding the referendum.{{cite web|url=http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/02/28/eighty-two-percent-want-eu-referendum|title=Eighty-Two Percent Want EU Referendum|last=Robert|first=Zoë|date=2014-02-28|access-date=2014-03-01|newspaper=Iceland Review}} {{As of|2015|1|20}}, 53,555 people (22.1% of Iceland's voters) had signed a petition demanding that the promised referendum be held.{{cite web|url=http://icelandreview.com/news/2015/01/20/pro-eu-rally-underway-iceland|title=Pro-EU Rally Underway in Iceland|first=EYGLÓ|last=SVALA ARNARSDÓTTIR|date=2015-01-20|access-date=2015-02-19|newspaper=Iceland Review}} A Gallup poll conducted in the early days of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine indicated a plurality of support among Icelanders (47%) for joining the European Union.[https://grapevine.is/news/2022/03/10/gallup-largest-portion-of-icelanders-favour-joining-the-european-union/ Gallup: Largest Portion Of Icelanders Favour Joining The European Union] Reykjavik Grapevine, 10 March 2022

• Iceland–European Union relations

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