Icelanders have voted against restarting negotiations to join the European Union, with concerns over national sovereignty and the country’s fishing industry outweighing arguments about geopolitical security.

Final results showed that 52.8% of voters rejected the proposal to reopen EU accession talks, while 47.2% supported it. A total of 225,031 votes were cast, with turnout reaching 82.5%.

The referendum asked Iceland’s population whether the government should resume negotiations with the EU after the accession process was halted more than a decade ago. The vote was not on joining the EU itself, meaning any eventual membership agreement would still have required another referendum.

Security concerns had become part of the debate amid uncertainty over international relations and US President Donald Trump’s comments involving Greenland. However, domestic issues, particularly Iceland’s desire to maintain control over its economically important fishing industry, played a major role in opposition to restarting negotiations.

Support for reopening talks was strongest in Reykjavik, while other constituencies voted against the proposal. Rural areas, where fishing has greater economic importance, showed particularly strong opposition.

Iceland already has close economic and political links with the European Union through the European Economic Area and the Schengen zone. The referendum result means negotiations on full EU membership will remain suspended for now.