REYKJAVIK'S MAYOR RAN AS A JOKE, AND WON THE ELECTION

When Iceland's banking system collapsed in 2008, people were understandably angry. The crisis almost destroyed the remote North Atlantic nation.

But Icelanders, who have survived plenty over the course of their history—including volcanic eruptions, invasions and harsh weather—fought back. Sick of politics-as-usual, a new and dramatically unconventional movement emerged to challenge the status quo.

Iceland is tiny. Just 320,000 people inhabit the entire island, and as Vocativ found on our recent visit to Reykjavik, momentum builds quite quickly when a few people decide to take on the establishment. "We're like the canary in the coal mine," one Icelandic politician says. Iceland has a proud history of freedom and activism. (The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks has been particularly active there.)

Today one of the most popular politicians in the country is the Reykjavik mayor, former punk rocker and comedian Jón Gnarr. And this year, the Pirate Party, a political organization dedicated to Internet freedom and government transparency, won three seats in Iceland's parliament—the biggest election victory for the Pirate movement that began in Sweden more than seven years ago. (It should be noted that the government is still dominated by a center-right coalition, the same bunch largely blamed for the banking collapse.)

They are self-styled politicians for the Internet age. Independent of spirit, like their Viking ancestors.

Meet Iceland's punk politicians.
Subscribe! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=vocativvideo
See more on our website: http://www.vocativ.com
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vocativ
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vocativ

Видео REYKJAVIK'S MAYOR RAN AS A JOKE, AND WON THE ELECTION канала Vocativ