Best Party
Encyclopedia
The Best Party is an Iceland
ic political party. The party ran in the 2010 city council election
in Reykjavík
and won the most seats in Reykjavík's City Council, receiving 34.7% of the vote, defeating the Independence Party
who received 33.6%.
The founder and chairman of the party is Jón Gnarr
.
, partly by mimicking the standard phrases, idioms and jargon used by Icelandic politicians.
However, it is not a joke party and has shown an interest in governing. It takes a left-wing
stance on many issues. Jón Gnarr identifies himself as an anarchist; the party as a whole, however, is closer to the centre-left.
Since its founding, Besti Flokkurinn has developed into a full-grown political party with its own independent agenda
, which has yet to be identified to an English-speaking audience. The theme song of Besti Flokkurinn is "Simply The Best
" by Tina Turner
. Prior to the 2010 election, the party published a new version of the song with new, Iceland-specific lyrics. A music video was also made, featuring Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
.
for the city zoo, a Disneyland
at Vatnsmýri, the capital's airport
and a drug-free Althing
by 2020. The party won the election, collecting 34.7% of the votes compared to the Independence Party's 33.6%. The party holds six of the fifteen seats on the local council.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic political party. The party ran in the 2010 city council election
Reykjavik City Council election, 2010
The 2010 Reykjavik City Council election took place on 29 May 2010 to elect members of the city council of Reykjavik in Iceland. A new political party called The Best Party won the most seats on the council, defeating the established parties....
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
and won the most seats in Reykjavík's City Council, receiving 34.7% of the vote, defeating the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
who received 33.6%.
The founder and chairman of the party is Jón Gnarr
Jón Gnarr
Jón Gnarr Kristinsson is an Icelandic actor, comedian, politician and the mayor of Reykjavík, since 15 June 2010. He goes by Jón Gnarr, being an Icelander does not have a family name. He was originally named Jón Gunnar Kristinsson but legally changed his middle name in 2005, to the way his mother...
.
History
Besti Flokkurinn, the Best Party, was founded in 2009 by Jón Gnarr, an Icelandic actor, comedian and writer. The party has from the beginning admitted that it will not honour any of the promises given before elections. It claims all other parties are secretly corrupt, so it promises to be openly corrupt. Among its original goals was to satirize common themes in Icelandic politicsPolitics of Iceland
Politics of Iceland takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Iceland is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. It is arguably the world's oldest parliamentary democracy. Executive power is exercised by the...
, partly by mimicking the standard phrases, idioms and jargon used by Icelandic politicians.
However, it is not a joke party and has shown an interest in governing. It takes a left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
stance on many issues. Jón Gnarr identifies himself as an anarchist; the party as a whole, however, is closer to the centre-left.
Since its founding, Besti Flokkurinn has developed into a full-grown political party with its own independent agenda
Political agenda
A political agenda is a set of issues and policies laid out by an executive or cabinet in government that tries to influence current and near-future political news and debate....
, which has yet to be identified to an English-speaking audience. The theme song of Besti Flokkurinn is "Simply The Best
The Best (song)
"The Best" is a song written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight, originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler on her 1988 release Hide Your Heart, in reference to Tom Mason. The single reached reaching #10 in Norway and Portugal, #34 in Spain and #95 in the UK....
" by Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
. Prior to the 2010 election, the party published a new version of the song with new, Iceland-specific lyrics. A music video was also made, featuring Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is an Icelandic singer and actress.She was a member of the band Ske and in 2005 began her solo career. She is best known for her portrayal of the controversial character Silvía Night....
.
Besti Flokkurinn's Platform
- To help the households in the country: Family is the best thing in society. Governments need to meet the needs and demands of households. An ironclad shield wall needs to be raised around the households in this country. Icelandic households deserve only the best.
- To improve the quality of life of the Less Fortunate: We want the best of everything for this bunch and therefore offer free access to buses and swimming pools so you can travel around Reykjavik and be clean even if you're poor or there's something wrong with you.
- Stop corruption: We promise to stop corruption. We'll accomplish this by participating in it openly.
- Equality: Everyone deserves the best regardless of who they are and where they come from. We will do our best for everyone so that everyone can be together on the best team.
- Increase transparency: It's best to have everything aboveboard so that the general public knows what is going on. We say we support that.
- Effective democracy: Democracy is pretty good, but an effective democracy is best. That's why we want it.
- Cancel all debts: We listen to the nation and do as it wishes because the nation knows what's best for itself.
- Free bus rides for students and cripples: We can offer more free things than any other party because we aren't going to follow through with it. We could say whatever we want. For example, free flights for women or free cars for people who live in rural areas. It's all the same.
- Free dental services for children and handicapped people: This is something that is lacking, and we definitely want to take part in promising it.
- Free access to swimming pools for everyone and free towels: This is something that everyone should fall for, and it's the election promise we're most proud of.
- Take those responsible for the economic collapse to court: Felt we had to include this.
- Complete equality of the sexes
- Listen more to women and old people: This bunch gets listened to far too little. It's as if everyone thinks they are just complaining or something. We're going to change that.
Election 2010
The party's first endeavor in politics was to present a list of candidates for the local election in Reykjavík in 2010. Its platform included free towels in all city swimming pools, a polar bearPolar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
for the city zoo, a Disneyland
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
at Vatnsmýri, the capital's airport
Reykjavík Airport
Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport (Icelandic: Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, is the chiefly domestic airport serving Reykjavík, Iceland. The airport lies two kilometres from Reykjavík's city centre. Possessing rather short runways, it normally only serves flights within Iceland and to...
and a drug-free Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
by 2020. The party won the election, collecting 34.7% of the votes compared to the Independence Party's 33.6%. The party holds six of the fifteen seats on the local council.