Iceland will vote on August 29 on resuming negotiations on EU accession
On August 29, Iceland will hold a referendum on resuming negotiations for accession to the European Union, which were suspended more than ten years ago. A “yes” vote will not mean the country’s immediate accession to the EU: it will merely pave the way for the resumption of the negotiation process, and another referendum will be required for final accession.
According to Deutsche Welle English, the debate has divided politicians and the public. Supporters of resuming negotiations link closer ties with the EU primarily to security and economic issues. Sneerós Sindradóttir, executive director of the “Yes” campaign, stated that EU accession could strengthen Iceland’s security amid geopolitical uncertainty.
Iceland, with a population of about 400,000, has no standing army, is a member of NATO, and has a bilateral defense agreement with the United States. At the same time, the country is already closely integrated with Europe: it is part of the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area, which ensures the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people with most EU countries.
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Pavel Bartošek, chairman of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, pointed to the instability of the Icelandic króna, linking it to higher inflation and interest rates than in continental Europe. According to him, mortgage rates in Iceland often range from 8% to 9%, and a possible future adoption of the euro could make borrowing cheaper.
Opponents of the negotiations emphasize the risks to sovereignty and control over natural resources, particularly fisheries. Haraldur Olafsson, president of the Heimssyn organization, argues that EU membership would mean transferring some powers to institutions that Iceland cannot control. Supporters of membership, however, counter that as a member state, Iceland would participate in EU decision-making.
The leader of the opposition Independence Party, Gudrun Hafsteinsdottir, believes that a small country will have a stronger voice outside the European Union. She also cautioned that the debate has already caused divisions within families and among friends. Polls predict a close race, and the outcome will largely depend on undecided voters.
