STORY: The 'yes' camp in Iceland's referendum on starting accession talks with the European Union held a slim lead early on Sunday (August 30), with supporters cheering on as partial results were revealed.

“I am feeling very hopeful. I feel that the Icelandic nation deserves to know what options are out there,” said an attendee of the ‘yes’ campaign event, speaking to Reuters.

Some 51.2% of voters supported the government's proposal to restart negotiations, while 48.8% said no, RUV (Icelandic National Broadcasting Service) said, based on some 87,000 votes counted.

In a later count of the first 152,000 votes out of an eligible 270,000, 50.1% were against the government's proposal to restart negotiations, while 49.9% were in favour, RUV reported. There was no information available on turnout.

Iceland has grappled with persistently high inflation rates and interest rates that have made mortgages expensive. Supporters of a "yes" vote have said EU membership, and possibly adoption of the euro, could bring relief. Iceland's central bank interest rate is 8%, compared with 2.25% at the European Central Bank.

A 'yes' vote would be welcomed in Brussels, as some officials cast Iceland as a low-risk case that could help ease skepticism toward EU enlargement, while its strategic position adds appeal at a time of growing focus on Arctic security.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: REYKJAVIK, ICELAND (AUGUST 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS CHEERING AS RESULTS FROM CONSTITUENCIES ARE READ OUT

2. SUPPORTERS LISTENING AS RESULTS ARE READ OUT

3. MAN APPLAUDING

4. MAN CELEBRATING

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 24-YEAR-OLD REYKJAVIK RESIDENT ATTENDING A ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN EVENT, MATTHILDUR STEINBERSDOTTIR, SAYING :

“I am feeling very hopeful. I feel that the Icelandic nation deserves to know what options are out there. And yeah, I really do feel strongly that we should be able to see every option that is out there, and we shouldn't have to just stay where we are.”

6. VARIOUS OF ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS CHEERING AS RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 25-YEAR-OLD SALESMAN WHO SUPPORTED THE ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN, MAGNUS ORRI ADALATEINSSON, SAYING :

“I am happy. I was starting to get a bit worried earlier tonight and yesterday and the past week, but the results coming in now, I am happy to see. And I hope, we hope, the numbers will continue to go up. And for the first time in a week, I'm hopeful.”

8. ICELANDIC FOREIGN MINISTER THORGERDUR KATRIN GUNNARSDOTTIR (WEARING WHITE) AT THE EVENT

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 25-YEAR-OLD SALESMAN WHO SUPPORTED THE ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN, MAGNUS ORRI ADALATEINSSON, SAYING :

“It's a very important issue, of course, for a small nation, a large scale, a large scale opportunity for international improvement in international relations. There are always going to be benefits for us, and I'm excited to see what this opportunity can bring us because, of course, it has been quite difficult over the past few years and past few decades, and I hope this is a chance for an improved economic situation.”

10. VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS OF THE ‘YES’ CAMPAIGN CHEERING AS PARTS OF THE RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN ICELAND, MAGNUS SKJOLD, SAYING:

“Obviously, I'm hoping for a yes, but we must take into account how extremely close this election is. So it will never be a decisive vote. It will probably be a few like dots on either side, so, but we are hoping for a yes. But it's obvious as well that a big part of the Icelandic nation supports taking steps towards closer integration with the European Union.”

12. VARIOUS OF WORD BEING PROJECTED ONTO THE CEILING OF EVENT, READING (Icelandic): “‘YES”

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND (AUGUST 29, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

13. VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS OF THE ‘NO’ CAMPAIGN AT AN ‘AFRAM ISLAND’ CAMPAIGN GROUP EVENT

14. CROWD CHEERING

15. CROWD

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRE PARTY AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WHO SUPPORTED THE ‘NO’ VOTE, SNORRI MASSON, SAYING :

“For me, at the core of this is, of course, just a question of our sovereignty, of our nation. We have been for more than 80 years a sovereign and independent country, which is not quite usual historically for a nation this small. So that's at the heart of this issue, but many issues for. You know, my view is that we're at this sweet spot in some sense with the EEA (European Economic Area) agreement and with good and deep relations with Europe and good and deep relations with the U.S. I'm confident that we can remain in these strong connections with both sides. So that has been the debate, of course.”

17. ‘NO’ CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS CHEERING AS RESULT READ OUT

18. (UPSOUND) (Icelandic) ‘NO’ SUPPORTERS CHANTING: “No, No, No, No, No…”

19. CROWD