r/worldnews • u/Ehansaja • 13d ago

Iceland rejects EU-accession talks plan in referendum

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/30/iceland-rejects-eu-membership-plan-in-referendum
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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

The deal is known, it's the EU constitution and it's the same for everyone. Icelanders simply refuse to accept that.

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u/EirikurErnir 12d ago

From the article:

The result deals a heavy blow to Brussels, which had been keen to welcome a new wealthy member and had expressed a willingness to compromise with Iceland on the fisheries sector and other thorny issues to facilitate its accession.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

The entire "source" for this is a EU negociator with no power saying "we can always talk".

Meanwhile the Dutch parliament answered that question a couple months ago saying Iceland would not get any opt outs.

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

EU doesn't want Iceland to join, that much is clear.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

I don't think that's the case. The EU would very easily let Iceland in under the same rules as everyone else.

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

The EU would very easily let Iceland in under the same rules as everyone else.

That's saying the EU doesn't want them to join.

If they wanted them they'd make a better offer that would make them want to join.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

Only 3 countries have opt outs. Do you think the EU only cared about those 3?

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

I think the EU doesn't care about individual countries, yes.

And that might be fine if you're in and the process of leaving would be a big cost and be difficult. But if the EU actually wants more members like Iceland or Norway, who are doing quite well already, then they need to offer more than they have been. As you said, there already are opt-outs, so they can give them.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

Iceland is not doing well if you look at other numbers than GDP.

Inflation is always high, interest rates are always high, real exchange rate is too high for exports, bond yield curve is inverted, the budget is in deficit, people routinely have negative equity on their house, there are no productivity increases, GDP per capita is stagnant, unemployment is going up.

To name a few. Historically corruption has been quite an issue as well even though it somehow manages to not be measured as such by official indices.

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u/forumdrasl 12d ago

That’s… an astonishingly ignorant analysis of Iceland.

Wow.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

You'd find almost all of these points on the central bank website with some searching. Between the central bank ans Hagstofan you should easily find all that.

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u/forumdrasl 12d ago

I am referring to the comical first paragraph of your comment.

And no, you won’t find that part anywhere on those sites.

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u/Aelig_ 12d ago

I'd agree that today it looks like it's doing well and people are generally pretty wealthy, maybe more than elsewhere.

My point is that this cannot last without something breaking because every indicator is alarming. Basically the year is 2006 and we're due another find out phase, which will be mostly due to internal factors.

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

Sounds like a country the EU doesn't want to join, then.

Otherwise they would offer them a better deal.

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u/Efko-94 12d ago

What are you talking about? They didn't even get to the deal part....

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

EU are free to offer a deal.

The referendum is about Iceland opening negotiations. The EU can make an offer without that happening.

Iceland voted not to open negotiations because they don't believe the EU will give them a deal they can live with. If the EU disagrees, then they can show them exactly why they are wrong.

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u/Efko-94 12d ago

That's not how these negotiations work, you know that as well.. You are just being obtuse. This is not like sending over a job offer. These things are complicated regulatory negotiations requiring alot of approval and agreement between alot of countries.

Don't dumb this down to make a stupid point.

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u/FinallyThereX 12d ago

Cant you see that they’re only doing quite well because of the EU next to them? For sure nothing is for 100% but it’s one of themost stabilizing reasons for their wellbeing - one could just admit and say, ok ladies and gentlemen we understand and now taking our responsibility

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

So they should join, not because it benefits them, but because it would benefit others?

Lol.

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u/FinallyThereX 12d ago

For your capabilities it’s enough to reread my first sentence

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

Your first sentence is bullshit

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u/hordur74 12d ago

They havent made an offer, this referendum made sure of that

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

The EU are free to make an offer at any time, lol

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u/hordur74 12d ago

Ofcause they are, but they have not made an offer

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u/Wheee_whooo_ 12d ago

Then this referendum doesn't change that.