Iceland’s parliament has taken a significant step by voting for an August 29 referendum to begin European Union accession talks. The government’s two-step plan could pave the way for membership in the 27-nation bloc later this decade.
Negotiations were previously abandoned in 2013 under a Eurosceptic government, but with increasing living costs and shifts in global politics, including the war in Ukraine, interest in joining has resurfaced, according to opinion polls.
The plan requires a second public vote for final approval of EU terms. Political science professor Olafur Thordur Hardarson notes that the two-step process may appeal to undecided voters. Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir is optimistic about potential EU membership by 2028, despite challenges in fisheries and agriculture.
(With inputs from agencies.)