Political party promising free towels and a polar bear wins local Icelandic elections
Would a party by any other name have seemed as sweet? A recently formed political party that calls itself “The Best Party” came out ahead in the Reykjavik, Iceland municipal elections. Founded by comedian Jon Gnarr just six months ago, the party earned 34.7% of the vote—beating out the incumbent Independent Party by 1.1%. Campaign pledges included free towels at swimming pools, a “drug-free parliament” by 2020, a policy of “sustainable transparency,” and a new polar bear for the city’s zoo. The Best Party’s campaign video showed candidates singing along to Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best.” The Bests will now occupy six seats on Reykjavik’s 15-seat council. Experts attribute their success to a growing sense of political disenchantment in Iceland’s capital.