Icelandic comedian Jón Gnarr has founded a mock political party called Besti flokkurinn (“The Best Party”) and is planning to run in the upcoming election for Reykjavík City Council in May. If his party wins, Gnarr as its chairman would become mayor.
Jón Gnarr. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
According to a recent opinion poll conducted by Fréttabladid, Besti flokkurinn would receive almost 13 percent of votes and have two representatives elected to the City Council.
Gnarr commented that the party’s campaign is just kicking off. He added that he and his associates are ready for the fight and that they are looking forward to it.
Gnarr has explained that his goals are personal; he is keen on having a comfortable job in a roomy office with a handsome paycheck.
In the poll, most respondents said they plan for the Independence Party (39.4 percent), which would earn the party seven representatives in the council.
The Social Democrats follow with 26.3 percent of votes and four council members, while the Left-Greens would earn two representatives in the council with approximately 14 percent of votes.
The Progressive Party, Liberal Party and a new party founded by former Mayor Ólafur F. Magnússon would not get enough votes to earn seats in the council.
When asked who they favor as mayor, almost 50 percent of respondents mentioned current Mayor of Reykjavík Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir of the Independence Party, 26 percent want former Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson of the Social Democrats to take the chair again and the third most popular candidate is Jón Gnarr.
Fréttabladid contacted 800 voters in Reykjavík on March 25 and 60 percent of those contacted participated in the poll.
Gnarr’s candidacy has been interpreted as a parody of the turmoil that has reigned in Reykjavík City politics this term, during which four mayors have served instead of one.
Click here to read more about Reykjavík City politics and here to read an interview with Jón Gnarr.
