Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Reykjavík Grapevine has been published in downtown Reykjavík for more than 20 years. For most of that time, its offices have been next door to the "World Famous Hot Dog Stand.” Every day, people drop-in to our office for various reasons. Sometimes they tell us interesting stuff that we want to share with you, so we interview them, for your pleasure. There is no theme.
In this episode we are joined by journalist Elías Þórsson, who wrote The Reykjavík Grapevine’s recent cover feature about the upcoming EU referendum in Iceland.
We begin by discussing the "explosive" rhetoric from anti-EU spokesperson Haraldur Ólafsson, a professor of meteorology at the University of Iceland. He suggested that the passion of the "No" side could potentially lead to acts of terrorism if Iceland were to join the EU.
We then dive into the core of the debate: the practical difference between Iceland’s current status as a member of the European Economic Area (EEA)—which already requires adopting large amounts of EU legislation—and full EU membership. While Iceland enjoys market access through the EEA, the main sticking points for full membership remain fisheries and agriculture, which are excluded from the current agreement. Pro-EU voices argue that joining would grant Iceland a vote and a voice in shaping policies it already follows, and allow for the adoption of the Euro to escape the high cost and instability of the small Icelandic króna.
Our discussion also explores how domestic politics and global security concerns are influencing the debate. High inflation and interest rates historically correlate with greater public willingness to join the EU; however, skepticism about U.S. and NATO reliability, coupled with the government's noticeably ambiguous promotion of the referendum, raises questions about whether the timing is a "set-up to fail." We end by making opposing predictions for the August 29 referendum.
Episode highlights:
00:02:40 The Explosive Anti-EU Interview & Terrorism Reference
00:08:41 Clarifying the Referendum: The is Just About Talking to the EU
00:12:58 Fisheries, Agriculture, and the Myth of the Icelandic Sheep
00:23:07 Pro-EU Case: Sovereignty, Voice in Brussels, and the Króna
00:26:41 Inflation, Geopolitics, and Why the Timing is Suspicious
00:30:58 Is The Government Setting Up the EU Referendum to Fail?
00:54:58 Iceland’s Existential Question: Where Do We Turn for Security?
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SHOW SUPPORT
Support us by making a donation to the Grapevine, we really appreciate it:
https://support.grapevine.is
You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO ARE WE?
The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine, bringing you all the news and views on Icelandic society, music, travel, culture and more. Grapevine.is #rvkgrapevine
Join our YouTube channel for perks on perks: youtube.com/channel/UCXDn1ItTmeGarenRLOZus9Q/join
The Reykjavík Grapevine has been published in downtown Reykjavík for more than 20 years. For most of that time, its offices have been next door to the "World Famous Hot Dog Stand.” Every day, people drop-in to our office for various reasons. Sometimes they tell us interesting stuff that we want to share with you, so we interview them, for your pleasure. There is no theme.
In this episode we are joined by journalist Elías Þórsson, who wrote The Reykjavík Grapevine’s recent cover feature about the upcoming EU referendum in Iceland.
We begin by discussing the "explosive" rhetoric from anti-EU spokesperson Haraldur Ólafsson, a professor of meteorology at the University of Iceland. He suggested that the passion of the "No" side could potentially lead to acts of terrorism if Iceland were to join the EU.
We then dive into the core of the debate: the practical difference between Iceland’s current status as a member of the European Economic Area (EEA)—which already requires adopting large amounts of EU legislation—and full EU membership. While Iceland enjoys market access through the EEA, the main sticking points for full membership remain fisheries and agriculture, which are excluded from the current agreement. Pro-EU voices argue that joining would grant Iceland a vote and a voice in shaping policies it already follows, and allow for the adoption of the Euro to escape the high cost and instability of the small Icelandic króna.
Our discussion also explores how domestic politics and global security concerns are influencing the debate. High inflation and interest rates historically correlate with greater public willingness to join the EU; however, skepticism about U.S. and NATO reliability, coupled with the government's noticeably ambiguous promotion of the referendum, raises questions about whether the timing is a "set-up to fail." We end by making opposing predictions for the August 29 referendum.
Episode highlights:
00:02:40 The Explosive Anti-EU Interview & Terrorism Reference
00:08:41 Clarifying the Referendum: The is Just About Talking to the EU
00:12:58 Fisheries, Agriculture, and the Myth of the Icelandic Sheep
00:23:07 Pro-EU Case: Sovereignty, Voice in Brussels, and the Króna
00:26:41 Inflation, Geopolitics, and Why the Timing is Suspicious
00:30:58 Is The Government Setting Up the EU Referendum to Fail?
00:54:58 Iceland’s Existential Question: Where Do We Turn for Security?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHOW SUPPORT
Support us by making a donation to the Grapevine, we really appreciate it:
https://support.grapevine.is
You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO ARE WE?
The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine, bringing you all the news and views on Icelandic society, music, travel, culture and more. Grapevine.is #rvkgrapevine
Join our YouTube channel for perks on perks: youtube.com/channel/UCXDn1ItTmeGarenRLOZus9Q/join
