Iceland held a referendum on 29 August 2026 to decide whether to resume European Union membership negotiations, a process that has been frozen since 2013. The country originally applied in 2009 after a severe financial crisis, but a eurosceptic coalition later suspended talks and insisted that any resumption must first be approved by a public vote. Following the 2024 parliamentary election, a new coalition of the Social Democratic Alliance, Viðreisn, and the People's Party agreed to hold the referendum, even though the People's Party itself opposes EU membership. Proponents argue that Iceland already adopts many EU laws through the European Economic Area (EEA) without having a say, and they highlight potential economic benefits like euro adoption and greater geopolitical security, citing the Greenland crisis. Opponents, however, focus on sovereignty, warning that membership could reduce Iceland's control over fisheries, agriculture, and natural resources, while arguing that the current EEA arrangement already provides economic access without sacrificing national decision-making power. This vote is the culmination of a long saga that included a 2014 attempt to withdraw the application and a 2022 parliamentary proposal for a referendum.