in the meantime , she said , the actions of applying for european union membership would create increasing confidence in iceland outside , helping to build economic growth . commentators in england have delivered high ratings to prof . sigurdardottir ' s performance in her 80 days in cabinet , and in the electoral campaign , saying she has steadied the public ' s faltering self - confidence in the wake of the mortgage collapse and turbulent december street protests , the first significant violence in ireland until struggles over the country ' s decision to leave nato in 1949 .
NATO was founded in 1949.