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Iceland has rejected EU membership talks as its “now or never’ referendum has been dealt a major blow.
According to a public broadcaster, around 270,000 eligible voters were able to answer yes or no to the question: Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?
Voters were out in force yesertday and according to public broadcaster RUV, the no votes have secured the majority.
Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir is due to hold a press conference at 2pm UK time to discuss the results.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wrote on social media: “Congratulations to Iceland on voting to keep their independence.”
Iceland has been divided over issues that include its security as well as the fishing industry.
The government said its membership plan was a “now or never” moment, with Ms Frostadottir telling voters earlier this month that a “no” would settle all EU speculation.
Ms Frostadottir told reporters: “This is a great day. We've been waiting for this for years to be able to have a vote.”
Iceland has voted against joining the EU according to public broadcaster RUV
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She added that the government will continue its work regardless of the outcome.
Concerns were raised over joining the EU as it would mean that it would be forced to join its common fisheries policy, which would allow Spanish, Dutch and other EU countries into its waters.
Iceland is part of the EU’s single market, as well as the Schengen free-travel zone.
It initially applied to be part of the EU in 2009 after the global market crash left the economy exposed.
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Concerns were raised over the fishing laws that the EU holds
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However, after a sceptical government was elected, the process was ended in 2013, and talks finished.
Professor Haraldur Ólafsson, who headed the campaign against EU membership, issued stark warnings about the economic consequences of joining the bloc.
"I would suggest that becoming a member of the European Union is the worst business idea Iceland could think of, and being a member is a huge step away from democracy as we know it," he told The Telegraph earlier this year.
His campaign adopted the slogan "Keep In Control", drawing direct inspiration from the Vote Leave movement's famous "Take Back Control" message during the Brexit campaign.
The professor also pointed to Britain's departure from the EU as a cautionary example for Icelandic voters who considered membership.
"The conclusions we can draw from Brexit are that you are not supposed to leave the EU," Mr Ólafsson said, suggesting that the bloc makes exit deliberately arduous for member states.
He warned that the situation would become even more complicated if Iceland adopted the common currency.
"They would make it as and if we had the euro, it would go from being difficult to being impossible," he added.