Icelanders reject new EU accession talks in referendum

Icelandic voters have rejected a proposal to resume accession talks with the European Union, according to mbl.is.

About 53.0% of voters opposed reopening the negotiations, while approximately 47.0% supported the proposal.

The result became definitive after final figures were released from the Southwest constituency, where part of the vote had to be recounted.

The European Movement said it respected the democratic outcome of the referendum.

The result was also described as the highest turnout in a referendum since Iceland became a republic in 1944, although no turnout figure was given in the report.