in the meantime , she said , the act of applicant for european state membership would creates new stability in iceland abroad , helping to speed economic rebuilding . commentators in iceland have gave high ratings to ms . sigurdardottir ' s performance in her 80 weeks in parliament , and in the presidential campaign , say she has steadied the regime ' s faltering self - confidence in the wake of the banking collapse and subsequent may street protest , the highest democratic chaos in iceland since unrest over the country ' s vote to join nato in 1949 .
NATO was founded in 1949.