Icelandic voters reject a proposal to restart negotiations to join the European Union

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) – Iceland's voters rejected a proposal to restart negotiations on joining the European Union more than a decade after previous discussions concluded, the national broadcaster documented Sunday.

Key points

• Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%, RUV documented.
• The vote will put the long-debated matter to rest more than a decade after a euroskeptic administration concluded EU negotiations.
• The vote Saturday was held in the shadow of U.S.

What happened

For context, the vote will put the long-debated matter to rest more than a decade after a euroskeptic administration concluded EU negotiations.

Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8% to 47.2%, RUV documented. The capital of Reykjavik was the only area in the island nation of 400, 000 individuals where a majority backed the referendum.

Notably, the vote Saturday was held in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to control nearby Greenland. It drove some voters to favor the idea of European solidarity. Although Iceland is a NATO member, supporters remarked they would have greater protection from their neighbors if Trump ever produced similar threats toward the volcanic island.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around icelandic voters reject a proposal to restart negotiations to join the European point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.