Is Iceland on the road towards EU membership?
By Anna-Magdalena Glockzin, 2 minutes.
In recent years, the EU has become less attractive in many countries, as proven by phenomena such as Brexit and the rise of right-wing populism, whose leaders often employ anti-Union rhetoric. However, other examples show that joining the EU can still be appealing to third countries. In November 2024, the Icelandic population headed to the polls for a snap election. In the election campaign, the issue of EU membership arose as a crucial topic for the first time in years. Polls showed that becoming an EU member state was voters’ preferred alternative, with 45% of the population being in favour and 35% being opposed to it. But what is the reason behind Iceland's latest spike in Euro-Enthusiasm?
Alþingishúsið in Reykjavik houses the Icelandic parliament, Althing.
By APK under CC BY-SA 4.0
Recently, the country suffered multiple volcanic disruptions, leading to displacement of people, infrastructure reconstruction and diminished tourism. Therefore, Iceland’s economy took a significant blow from which it is still trying to recover, while hindered by high inflation and interest rates. This situation led politicians and the population to re-examine the question of the euro’s monetary benefits and therefore of EU membership in general. Another topic that plays into the increased popularity of becoming an EU member state is the war in Ukraine.Since the conflict continues to demonstrate the importance of collective, international supportive action, the country of Iceland is left wondering whether it should be more closely tied with its allies.
These concerns were reflected in the election results. The Social Democratic Alliance won the elections after constituting the opposition in the government for over eight years. As the chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party told the Icelandic press: "I think it's quite clear that there is a very clear call for change, the results show it in black and white." The other party to make the biggest gain in the elections were the pro-EU Liberal Reform party. Consequently, the incoming government announced a referendum on the question of EU membership for 2027. The designated Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir specified that "we agreed that a motion in parliament be agreed upon, stating that we will have a referendum on the continuation of Iceland's European Union accession talks and that this referendum be held no later than 2027." Gunnarsdóttir is also the leader of the pro-EU Liberal Reform party and is expected to direct any accession talks.
If Iceland were to successfully advance further down this road, it would become the 28th member of the Union. It would contribute uniquely to the European community through its impressive performance on renewable energy development, high education of its population and an advanced fishing industry. What’s more, Iceland’s strategic position would be very advantageous for the Union given its geopolitical interests in the Arctic region.
