A recent Gallup poll indicates that a slim majority of Icelandic voters oppose resuming negotiations to join the European Union, as the country heads to the polls on a referendum scheduled for August 29, 2026. The survey, which included 4,583 respondents, showed 51.6% against reopening talks with the EU, while 48.4% supported the move.

The referendum itself is not a direct vote on membership but asks voters whether Iceland should restart discussions with Brussels on EU accession. Any progress in negotiations would subsequently require a second referendum, in which Icelanders would decide on joining the 27-member bloc under the terms agreed during those talks.

This latest poll conflicts slightly with results from another survey conducted by polling agency Maskina, reported earlier by the Icelandic daily Visir. That poll found a narrow majority of 51.3% in favor of resuming negotiations, with 48.7% against.

Iceland originally applied for EU membership in 2009 but suspended accession talks in 2013 after a Eurosceptic government took office. Since then, concerns such as rising living costs and the implications of the war in Ukraine have rekindled public discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of EU membership.

The Icelandic government has characterized the current referendum as a critical, potentially decisive moment for the country's future relationship with the EU, describing it as “now or never.” Voters will decide whether to give their government the mandate to initiate accession talks once again, paving the way for a possible later vote on full membership.