A return to conservative rule could distance the island nation from the European Union.
OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images
Iceland's Parliament building in Reykjavik
One of the pillars the European Union was built upon is coming under threat.
Growing collaboration among the five Nordic countries has implications for Europe, NATO and Russia.
Accession talks are progressing quickly, but most of Iceland's population opposes EU membership.
Beijing is increasingly interested in the Arctic for its untapped mineral resources and faster shipping routes.
