Iceland’s EU vote: A nation divided over Europe
Security concerns, control over fishing rights and rising living costs are shaping Iceland's debate over whether to restart talks on joining the European Union. The
Security concerns, control over fishing rights and rising living costs are shaping Iceland's debate over whether to restart talks on joining the European Union. The white church stands alone in the Icelandic countryside. Wind sweeps across the Hvalfjord. Kristjan Ingolfsson, a retired bishop, lives here beside Hallgrimskirkja church in Saubaer, surrounded by silence and vast open landscapes. But far from this quiet corner of western Iceland, the debate over Europe is heating up. At the end of August, voters will decide whether to reopen accession talks with the European Union. The referendum is not about joining the EU immediately, but about restarting negotiations that were suspended more than a decade ago. "[Icelandic] people are a bit different to the mainland folks, who always have to think about borders. We have no border, just the sea all around," Kristjan Ingolfsson says. "That gives a specific feeling of freedom. And I believe that's also part of the whole discussion, that people want to be free." Whether campaigning for or against closer ties with Brussels, many Icelanders frame the debate around the same ideas: freedom, independence, and sovereignty. The 'Yes' campaign At the headquarters of the pro-European group in the capital, Reykjavik, supporters are celebrating the official launch of the campaign. The small office is packed, with volunteers spilling onto the pavement in the afternoon sun. Young people mingle with pensioners. A DJ provides music while beer and soft drinks are kept chilled in ice buckets. At the center of it all is Snaeros Sindradottir, executive director of the 'Yes' campaign. The 34-year-old mother normally runs an art gallery, but that work is now on hold. Instead, she spends her days campaigning for a closer relationship with Europe. Snaeros Sindradottir has put her art gallery career on hold to campaign for closer ties between Iceland and the European Union Image: Dmytro Rusanow/DW The referendum is taking place at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty. US President Donald Trump's threats toward neighboring Greenland have become part of Iceland's debate over Europe, says Snaeros Sindradottir. "And it's not a very comforting fact that Trump has mispronounced Greenland as Iceland on several occasions." Iceland, with its population of about 400,000, has no standing army. Protection is provided through NATO, of which Iceland is a founding member. The country also has a bilateral defense agreement with Washington.
During the Cold War, the US maintained an important military base near Reykjavik, although its permanent troop presence ended in 2006. "I think security would definitely be increased if we enter the EU," says Snaeros Sindradottir. "Given the situation in the United States, it would be wiser to lean [on] our true allies and friends in Europe." Iceland is already closely tied to Europe. The country belongs to the European Economic Area (EEA), allowing free movement of goods, services, capital and people between Iceland and most EU countries, even though the island nation is not an EU member. It is also part of the passport-free Schengen zone. Pawel Bartoszek, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee, points to Iceland's small and relatively volatile currency. "It has cost us much higher inflation and interest rates compared to continental Europe," he says. Bartoszek argues that joining the euro in the future could lower borrowing costs for households and businesses. Mortgage rates of 8 to 9% are common in Iceland, while borrowers elsewhere in Europe often pay roughly half as much. The 'No' campaign In downtown Reykjavik, campaigners from the anti-EU movement are making the opposite case. They have set up a small table where they hand out leaflets and "No" campaign badges. Haraldur Olafsson, a physics professor, currently spends up to 12 hours a day campaigning against membership. "We are basically here to explain to the people that being members of the European Union is a huge step away from democracy." "We are giving power to someone else who will make rules that we cannot control," he adds. For years, Haraldur Olafsson has campaigned against joining the EU. He is the president of the Heimssyn organization, which belongs to the 'No' camp. Haraldur Olafsson is campaigning against closer ties with the European Union, arguing that Iceland should preserve its independence Image: Dmytro Rusanow/DW The 'No' campaign's stand is quiet today. Tourists crowd the square opposite parliament, every now and then Olafsson is approached by acquaintances. This is Iceland. People know each other here. "I do not know anybody in Iceland who fears either the Russians or the Americans," Haraldur Olafsson says. "Really, I don't think these international matters matter a lot when it comes to local politics. The only threat comes from the European Union. The European Union is the only big power in the world that wants to govern Iceland, that wants to set the laws in Iceland and wants to pass judgment." Supporters of EU membership reject this argument, saying that as an EU member Iceland would participate in decision-making rather than simply follow rules set elsewhere.
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