Reykjavik’s Mayor Shows Up To Vote Dressed Like A Jedi
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Science fiction fans are, traditionally, an under-represented group when it comes to political campaigns. Still, we have a very specific set of issues we like to see addressed by our duly elected leaders, including things like space exploration, time travel, alien invasion preparedness, the impending robotic takeover, Death Stars, and many, many other important concerns raised by the world of speculative fiction.
Well, the mayor of Reykjavik, the largest and capital city of Iceland, is more sensitive to the needs of nerds, and is way, way cooler than the mayor of wherever the hell you happen to live. Jón Gnarr—I’d vote for him based on that name alone—the incumbent mayor, turned up at the latest national election dressed as a flippin’ Jedi knight. Now that is one politician that doesn’t take himself too seriously, though lets hope he’s a little less flippant when considering important proposals.
This isn’t he first time Gnarr has pulled this kind of stunt. Before he was a politician, he was actually a comedian who ran for public office in an attempt to satirize the whole process. In 2010, he created the Best Party, and ran for mayor on a platform that included getting a polar bear for the zoo and a drug-free parliament. And he won.
I have no idea what he was thinking when he donned a long, flowing robe while casting a vote, but considering Gnarr’s track record, did it really take anyone by surprise? It certainly seems that antics and shenanigans (which apparently now include cosplay) are par for the course in Icelandic political circles.
