Congratulations to the individuals of Iceland. They got the chance to voluntarily give up extra of their sovereignty to Brussels, and 52.8% stated NO. Solely 47.2% supported reopening negotiations to affix the European Union, regardless of the federal government pushing the problem and regardless of polls solely days earlier suggesting the pro-EU facet may prevail. Turnout reached a rare 82.5%, the very best turnout in an Icelandic referendum because the vote establishing the republic. This was not voter apathy. Icelanders confirmed up and made their place identified.
The referendum was technically solely about reopening accession negotiations, not instantly becoming a member of the EU. Had the “Sure” facet prevailed, negotiations would have begun and any ultimate settlement would have required one other referendum. However Icelanders understood the place this street leads. As soon as sovereignty is transferred to Brussels, getting it again turns into terribly troublesome.
The geographic divide was additionally revealing. Reykjavík supported reopening negotiations, with the Sure vote reaching roughly 55% to 58% within the capital’s constituencies. Exterior the capital, resistance strengthened dramatically, approaching 60% all through rural Iceland. That ought to shock no one. The individuals whose livelihoods rely immediately upon the nation’s land, sources, and fishing waters perceive what surrendering authority to Brussels may imply much better than bureaucrats sitting behind desks.
Fishing was one of many central points on this referendum for good cause. Iceland constructed its fashionable prosperity round management of its surrounding waters. Fisheries account for roughly 15% of the economic system and round 40% of export revenues. Why would Iceland voluntarily hand affect over that strategic nationwide useful resource to a company representing 27 nations with fully completely different political and financial pursuits?
This is identical European Union that has centralized energy 12 months after 12 months whereas pretending that each switch of sovereignty is merely cooperation. Financial coverage went to the European Central Financial institution. Commerce coverage went to Brussels. Laws more and more come from Brussels. Agricultural coverage is formed in Brussels. Power coverage is more and more dictated on the European degree, and now the EU is trying to centralize protection, borrowing, taxation, and overseas coverage.
Iceland already receives most of the financial advantages Europeans are instructed require EU membership. By means of the European Financial Space, Iceland participates within the EU single market alongside Norway and Liechtenstein. It additionally participates within the Schengen free-travel space. Iceland can commerce and journey all through a lot of Europe with out surrendering full political sovereignty to the European Union.
That’s exactly why the argument for membership turns into so weak. Why give up management over fisheries, commerce negotiations, and ultimately financial coverage when Iceland already enjoys intensive entry to European markets?
The EU desperately desires nations to imagine there isn’t a different. You both be a part of Brussels or you’re supposedly remoted from civilization. Britain disproved that argument with Brexit regardless of all the pieces the political institution has finished to undermine it. Switzerland has by no means joined. Norway rejected membership twice. Iceland has now rejected even reopening negotiations.
This vote additionally arrives whereas the European challenge is confronting a rising monetary drawback. Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and Sweden are already demanding a whole bunch of billions of euros in cuts to the European Fee’s proposed 2028-2034 price range. Brussels desires a price range approaching €2 trillion whereas governments all through Europe are battling debt, weak progress, getting older populations, navy spending, and more and more offended taxpayers. Germany alone has reportedly sought reductions of round €400 billion.
Europe is transferring towards better centralization exactly as confidence in authorities deteriorates. Brussels desires extra frequent borrowing, extra navy integration, extra management over nationwide budgets, extra regulation, and in the end extra political authority. The individuals are more and more being instructed that each disaster requires transferring one other piece of nationwide sovereignty upward to unelected establishments.
The Icelanders have properly checked out what is going on and refused. There may be nothing anti-European about refusing to affix the European Union. Europe existed for hundreds of years earlier than Brussels created this political construction. Iceland can commerce with Germany, France, Italy, Britain, America, China, and anybody else keen to do enterprise with out asking Ursula von der Leyen for permission.
Iceland has solely round 400,000 individuals, but these individuals management one of the vital strategically vital positions within the North Atlantic, monumental fishing grounds, renewable vitality sources, and entry to an more and more vital Arctic area. Small nations ought to be notably cautious about surrendering political authority as a result of their voice turns into progressively diluted inside bigger political buildings.
A unprecedented 82.5% turned out to vote, and a majority determined their nation ought to stay Iceland relatively than transfer one other step towards turning into merely one other member of an more and more centralized European political machine. At a time when governments all over the place try to persuade those that sovereignty is outdated and bureaucratic centralization is inevitable, Iceland has demonstrated that folks nonetheless perceive the worth of governing themselves. They need to be applauded for having the braveness to say NO.
