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Politics & Power
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How an Anarchist Comedian's Joke Party Revolutionized Icelandic Politics
In the wake of Iceland's 2008 financial collapse, comedian Jón Gnarr's satirical 'Best Party' made absurd promises to mock corrupt politics. His joke resonated with voters, leading to his shock election as Reykjavík's mayor and a surprisingly effective term.
In 2008, the world watched as a global financial crisis brought nations to their knees. Few were hit harder than Iceland, a small island country whose oversized banking sector collapsed with astonishing speed, wiping out savings and plunging the nation into turmoil. The public's faith in its political establishment evaporated, replaced by a profound sense of betrayal and anger that culminated in the 'Pots and Pans Revolution'. It was in this crucible of disillusionment that one of modern politics' most surreal and telling experiments was born: a joke party, founded by a comedian, that would go on to run the nation's capital.
The Birth of the Best Party
Jón Gnarr was not your typical political candidate. A well-known comedian, actor, and former punk rocker with anarchist leanings, Gnarr decided to lampoon the entire political process. He created the 'Best Party' (Besti flokkurinn) in late 2009 with a group of fellow artists and musicians who had no political experience. Their platform was a masterclass in political satire, designed to expose the absurdity of traditional campaign promises. Among their pledges were free towels in all public swimming pools, a drug-free parliament by 2020, a new polar bear for the Reykjavík zoo, and a promise to break all their other promises.
The party's campaign video was a singalong to Tina Turner's "The Best," featuring Gnarr and his friends earnestly promising a better future with no specifics. It was pure parody. Yet, something unexpected happened: people started listening. In a political landscape littered with the wreckage of failed economic policies, Gnarr's blatant, almost joyful dishonesty felt more truthful than the carefully crafted statements of the politicians who had overseen the collapse.
From Punchline to Power
As the 2010 Reykjavík municipal elections approached, the Best Party's polling numbers began to climb. What started as a protest vote morphed into a genuine movement. The established parties were baffled, first dismissing Gnarr as a novelty act before attacking him, a move that only increased his popularity. Voters were tired of the status quo and saw in Gnarr a vehicle for their frustration. As one observer later noted:
So basically the people voted for a clown and got a better politician than the ones they had before.
The sentiment captured the mood perfectly. On election day, the joke became reality. The Best Party won 34.7% of the vote, securing 6 of the 15 seats on the Reykjavík City Council, more than any other party. Jón Gnarr, the comedian who promised to do nothing, was now poised to become the mayor of Iceland's largest city.
The Surrealist Mayor in Action
To form a governing coalition, Gnarr laid down a unique and telling condition: his potential partners had to have watched all five seasons of the acclaimed HBO series 'The Wire'. While it sounded like another gag, it held a serious purpose. Gnarr argued that the show was a prerequisite for understanding the complex, systemic issues plaguing a modern city, from bureaucracy to social decay. The Social Democratic Alliance agreed, and a new administration was formed.
As mayor, Gnarr's approach remained unconventional. He attended the 2010 Gay Pride parade in full drag to show solidarity and was unapologetically himself. But behind the surrealist performance art was a surprisingly effective and pragmatic leader. His administration inherited a city in dire financial straits. Gnarr's government undertook a difficult but necessary financial restructuring, which involved merging the city’s indebted utility and geothermal heating companies and raising taxes. These were unpopular moves that traditional politicians might have shied away from, but Gnarr's transparency and lack of political ambition allowed him to make tough decisions for the city's long-term health. By the end of his term, his administration was widely praised for its fiscal responsibility.
A Legacy of Honest Absurdity
True to his original spirit, Jón Gnarr served only one term, dissolving the Best Party in 2014 and stating its purpose had been fulfilled. He argued that it was a one-time satirical act, not a long-term political project. However, its impact was profound. The Best Party shattered the rigid structure of Icelandic politics, demonstrating that outsiders could not only challenge the establishment but successfully govern. Its success paved the way for other anti-establishment groups, most notably the Icelandic Pirate Party, which built on the Best Party's legacy of transparency and direct democracy. Gnarr's tenure remains a powerful lesson in the nature of political disillusionment and the surprising effectiveness of radical honesty, even when it's wrapped in a joke.