Iceland to vote on EU membership as French foreign minister says it has nothing to lose

Iceland will hold a referendum on 29 August to decide whether to restart accession talks with the European Union, a process that was suspended in 2015 after the country first applied for membership during the 2008‑9 financial crisis. French foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot said Iceland “has absolutely nothing to lose” from reopening negotiations, emphasizing that the EU’s support for Greenland during recent diplomatic tensions demonstrates the value of membership. Icelandic foreign minister Þórgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir echoed this view, noting that EU backing of Greenland highlighted the bloc’s influence and that joining the EU would strengthen Iceland’s own security. Iceland is a NATO member but maintains no standing army and faces potential threats from Russia, making the security argument a key part of the debate.

The referendum follows a series of political discussions about Iceland’s international alignment, with the government seeking a clear public mandate before re‑engaging with EU institutions.