Support for EU membership, currency change gains ground in Iceland

A new poll shows that 58 percent of Icelanders support holding a referendum on whether the country should resume negotiations for European Union (EU) membership, Icelandic broadcaster RUV quoted, reported Xinhua.

The survey, conducted by the Icelandic opinion research firm Prosent, also revealed that 53 percent of respondents favor replacing Iceland's currency, the krona, with a new currency. The proposal for a referendum is part of the agenda of Iceland's newly formed left-leaning coalition government, which took office in December 2024 and plans to hold the vote by 2027 at the latest.

While the idea of reopening EU membership talks has gained traction, outright support for joining the EU does not currently hold a majority. According to the poll, 45 percent of respondents favor EU membership, 35 percent are opposed, and 20 percent remain undecided.

However, the poll indicates growing interest in debating the issue. A majority, 58 percent, support holding a referendum to revisit EU membership talks, while 27 percent oppose the idea, and 15 percent are undecided.

Iceland initially applied for EU membership in 2009, but negotiations were suspended in 2013 and have not been resumed since. The question of whether to revisit these talks has remained a recurring topic in Icelandic politics.

In addition to the EU debate, Iceland's new government has announced plans to examine the future of the krona. Independent foreign experts will be commissioned to assess the advantages and disadvantages of maintaining the national currency and explore alternatives.

The Prosent poll shows that 53 percent of Icelanders support adopting a new currency, while 27 percent are opposed, and 20 percent are undecided. Support for a new currency overlaps significantly with pro-EU sentiment, 86 percent of those in favor of EU membership also favoring replacing the krona, according to the survey results.

The Prosent survey was conducted between Dec. 17 and Dec. 31, 2024, with a sample size of 5,000 and a response rate of 50 percent.