Women remain more undecided than men ahead of EU referendum

Women appear less likely than men to have made up their minds ahead of a referendum on whether Iceland should begin membership negotiations with the European Union, mbl.is reports.

The issue was discussed on the latest episode of Dagmál, featuring Stefanía Ásbjörnsdóttir, an economist and executive of the Independence Party parliamentary group.

Stefanía said women are generally considered more risk-averse than men, which could be reflected in their greater willingness to say they are undecided, even when they may in fact lean towards one side or the other.

She also said the nature of the debate could be contributing to voter uncertainty. The discussion has covered several fundamental issues, including possible exemptions and whether Iceland would adapt to the EU’s regulatory framework during membership negotiations, without resolving all questions in a way that has convinced the public.

According to Stefanía, some aspects of the debate cannot be settled through financial figures or percentages alone.

The programme also examined significant differences between age groups in opinion polls. Recent surveys have shown stronger support for beginning membership negotiations among people aged 30 to 49 than among other age groups.

Presenter Andrea Sigurðardóttir suggested that high interest rates could be one explanation, as many people in those age groups carry heavy housing-loan burdens.

A clip from the programme is available, while subscribers can watch the full episode.