Iceland: new bid for EU membership?
On 29 August, Iceland will hold a referendum on whether to resume the negotiations on EU accession that were launched in 2009. Following a change of government in 2013, Reykjavík put the accession talks on hold. Europe's press takes a look at the new initiative.
Yearning for security
One of the reasons is the uncertain situation of global security, writes Večernji list:
“In 2009 it was the financial crisis that prompted a referendum; today, it is the global geopolitical crisis that is threatening to escalate, particularly in Iceland's Arctic neighbourhood. ... Iceland is a highly vulnerable island, strategically situated between Greenland, Norway and the British Isles; it has no army of its own and relies exclusively on Nato for defence, a situation that has become problematic because of Trump's unpredictability. As a result, Icelanders feel particularly vulnerable and are once again considering joining the EU, which would offer some degree of security.”
A highly coveted model
De Standaard views this as proof of the EU's appeal:
“For a great many people, the EU remains an attractive model of society, a reliable ally and a sought-after trading partner. Many countries are queuing up to join, and Iceland may well be among them soon. ... But above all, it is Ukraine's desire to join the EU that should inspire Europe to more self-confidence. That the government was recently forced to back down under pressure from the streets shows that a society can be internally diverse and yet united against an external threat at the same time. Surely this must inspire us to strengthen our European identity.”