in the meantime , she said , the act of applying for european union membership would create new respect in everyone overseas , helping to speed gdp recovering . broadcasters in iceland have given high points to lt . sigurdardottir ' s ability in her 80 nights in office , and in the election campaign , saying she has steadied the country ' s faltering self - confidence in the midst of the banking breakdown and deng january 2014 rallies , the first political violence in iceland since protests over the country ' s desire to join nato in 1949 .
NATO was founded in 1949.