EU debate splits family gatherings and fishing trips

The European Union debate is spilling into family gatherings, groups of friends and even fishing trips in Iceland, mbl.is reports. Kristín Gunnarsdóttir and Ólöf Skaftadóttir, hosts of the Komið gott podcast, urged people appearing on the Spursmál programme not to let the dispute undermine their basic decency.

They said the debate had increasingly become emotional, with experts themselves taking opposing positions. Ultimately, people must weigh what matters most to them and trust their own judgment, they said, without tearing society apart.

“I urge Icelanders to hold on to their decency throughout this struggle,” Skaftadóttir said. She added that people became “extremely unpleasant” whenever the European Union was discussed.

“There are family gatherings in turmoil, and you hear about one thing after another,” she said.

“Fishing trips are being split right down the middle,” Gunnarsdóttir added.

They said Facebook played a significant role, describing it as “the cesspit of all this” because people often went further in their language online than they would face to face.

The two hosts also said the side that manages to retain a sense of lightness could be better placed as the election approaches.

“People want to be where there is a good atmosphere,” Skaftadóttir said. She believes a movement that retains its sense of joy is more likely to reach voters than one that becomes trapped in a role of moralising.