The EU thread

[Legbiter]

Here in Iceland the EU accession referendum has been accelerated to August this year. It was supposed to happen in 2027 but it's been sped up. 

[Zanza]

What changed compared to the last times you decided against accession talks?

I mean it's not about actually joining yet, right?

[Valmy]

With the EU behind you, you can surely kick around the UK on fishing rights.

[Sheilbh]

Stop! Stop! They already won the Cod Wars!

[Tonitrus]

What changed compared to the last times you decided against accession talks?

I mean it's not about actually joining yet, right?

It could be thqt the US/Greenland situation is doing to Iceland what Russia/Ukraine did to Sweden/Finland.

Especially since Trump did say he wanted to take Iceland. 

[Zanza]

What changed compared to the last times you decided against accession talks?

I mean it's not about actually joining yet, right?

It could be thqt the US/Greenland situation is doing to Iceland what Russia/Ukraine did to Sweden/Finland.

Especially since Trump did say he wanted to take Iceland. 

Sure.

But I guess Iceland had good reasons to put their previous accession talks on hold. Not sure which reasons these were (the ever popular fishing?). Are they willing to compromise these good reasons?

Maybe the new  situation has changed their cost benefit view though.

[Legbiter]

What changed compared to the last times you decided against accession talks?

I mean it's not about actually joining yet, right?

The social democrats and the left-greens were the cleanup crew after 2008 back when Iceland was an IMF charity case. They applied for membership and basically finished 99% of the negotiations. But because they had to do really unpopular but necessary budget cuts they got voted out. The chud farmer party PM at the time withdrew from the process and that was that. Fast forward to today, social democrats are back in power with this absolute unit.



She's well-liked and is in a coalition with a brainy center-right party and a minor slopulist boomer benefits party to round out the numbers in the Alþingi. They are dusting off the accession plan as a campaign promise by putting it to a referendum. So if we vote yes, they'll finish the last 1% and then there will be another referendum on joining. The recent outbursts from that shithole known as the US has had an effect but it's still a live situation.

The pro-EU coalition faces major obstacles from both the fishing and farming lobby. The fishing lobby wants to continue to run our fishing grounds like a well-managed ranch basically and enjoy exclusive access while doing so. The farmers are afraid of competition and of the dilution of precious bodily fluids, etc. I rate the odds of Iceland joining the EU at about 30% as of now.   

[Norgy]

Interesting how Iceland is so different to Norway.
Just say "an elite project" about the EU to kill any debate about membership, despite how integrated the country is in the EU.

Good luck, Iceland! 

[Grey Fox]

Where do you get these words, Leg?

[Duque de Bragança]

What changed compared to the last times you decided against accession talks?

I mean it's not about actually joining yet, right?

It could be that the US/Greenland situation is doing to Iceland what Russia/Ukraine did to Sweden/Finland.

Especially since Trump did say he wanted to take Iceland. 

Iberian Spanish fishermen lost their bogeymen status?

I see the fishing lobby is still powerful, so alles in Ordnung. 

[Norgy]

No, we still hate Spanish fishermen. 

[Zanza]

I see. It's always a nice story when another country joins the EU or Euro or so, but I guess beyond the narrative it does not matter much to the EU whether or not Iceland joins.

Good luck with the decision!