GENERAL
Proposed referendum on continued EU accession negotiations
Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 but then suspended its accession process in 2015. On 18th March 2026, Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir expressed that her country could join the European Union as early as 2028. On the same day, a Security and Defence Partnership was signed between Iceland and the European Union, further strenghtening their cooperation.
According to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland’s application for membership from 2009 is still valid, and therefore the talks could resume if approved by referendum. The Government introduced a motion for resolution, proposing to hold a referendum on 29th August 2026 on whether to resume accession negotiations with the European Union. If approved, at least another referendum and parliamentary elections will be needed in order for Iceland to join the European Union.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Anti-whaling activists convicted and fined
On 16th February 2026, the District Court of Reykjavík convicted Anahita Babaei and Elissa May Philipps of disobeying police orders and boarding a whaling vessel to protest whaling practices. The two women had boarded the whaling ships Hvalur 8 and Hvalur 9 without permission on 4th September 2023. They climbed the masts and stayed there for approximately 33 hours, refusing to comply with police orders to vacate the vessels.
They were initially charged with breach of property, failing to comply with the orders of the police and of violating maritime security laws. This last charge was dropped. Both activists pleaded not guilty. They explained that they were exercising their freedom of expression and raised a necessity defence during the hearing.
I did this out of absolute necessity, as no one was taking action to stop this damage, and that is why I peacefully climbed the mast of the whaling boat without causing any harm or damage
- Anahita Sahar Babaie
They were each fined 200 000 ISK (USD 1617) and ordered to pay their legal costs.
Understanding of the importance and functioning of the media is limited, according to survey
On 13th January, the first Nordic-wide survey on media literacy among young people and adults was issued. Funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the study surveys multiple dimensions of media literacy. It appears that the public’s knowledge of editorial practices and the general legal framework governing the media is lower in Iceland than in the other Nordic countries. Icelanders are less aware of which media outlets have a legally defined public-service role and how media funding works. On the positive side, access to news is greater as more news content is freely available and fewer outlets require subscriptions.
Having sufficient understanding of the media environment is crucial for active participation in a healthy democracy, and clearly more emphasis needs to be placed on educating the public about the complexities of the Icelandic media landscape
- Nordic Media Literacy Survey
Comprehensive database of racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech and hate crime cases is still lacking
On 5th March 2026, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a monitoring report on the implementation of the priority recommendations made to Iceland in 2023. The Commission takes positive note of the training organised for police officers and prosecutors on the correct identification and recording of hate crimes, but denounces that little progress has been achieved regarding setting up a comprehensive data collection system on cases of racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech and hate crime. Moreover, ECRI suggests that the data on possible hate crimes recorded by the police should be accessible to the public.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
Iranian community shows solidarity with protesters in Iran
On 3rd and 10th January 2026, members of the Iranian community demonstrated in Reykjavik to show their solidarity with the ongoing protests in Iran and the exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. They gathered again on 31st January and 4th February, to call on the Icelandic government to designate the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
Students protest against increase in university registration fees
On 12th February 2026, a few dozen students protested inside the main building of the University of Iceland against the increase in the university registration fee. The fee increased from 75 000 ISK (USD 600) to 100 000 ISK (USD 800), as allowed by a legislative amendment. The student movements Röskva and Vaka have been opposing these measures.