From Iceland — Jón Gnarr will not run for president
Jón Gnarr, former mayor and writer in Reykjavík, announced today that he would not run for president of Iceland.
Just a few eyes ago, on the television station Stað 2 Iceland today program, Gnarr announced that he was officially not a candidate for the presidency of Iceland.
In a special edition of Ísland i ag, called in the English translation, “Iceland Today”, Gnarr hosted the show and had several guests on the show whom he interviewed before making the announcement.
When the announcement came, he asked to be asked if he was a candidate. He replied that while he was “very touched” by all the support he has received, he confirmed that he has ruled out running for president “at this time”, adding: “I hope that answers the question.” exchange for all.
Among his guests was his partner in the famous Tvíhöfði comedy team, Sigurjón Kjartansson. In keeping with the relaxed, comedic style the two are known for, Gnarr asked Sigurjón if he was going to run, to which he said he wasn’t, saying he was going to be “the first Icelander to announce that he’s not running for president.”
The journalist Viktoría Hermannsdóttir was the next guest of the show, where the two discussed the main news of the past week, including the death of David Bowie, and three bankers in prison from Kaupthing who recently received a very critical interview with the same TV station.
Currently director of programming at media company 365, which made the announcement, Gnarr no longer has to worry about the competition. Since the elections are ahead in just over six months, only three, Hildur Þórðardóttir and the writers Elísabet Jökulsdóttir and Þorgrímur Þráinsson, have so far officially announced their candidacy for the position.
The former mayor of Reykjavík seemed to have slowly warmed to the idea of becoming the president of Iceland. Although you gave a definitive no to the question in the Reddit AMA two years agohe went into more detail last march about the case.
“I shudder at the thought of becoming part of the miserable and pathetic culture that is Icelandic political culture,” he said at the time. “I can’t be bothered to face the pushy guy again. I simply cannot allow myself and my wife to be treated like this again. I can’t let my son be treated like this. I have therefore decided not to run for the office of President of Iceland this time. Maybe later. I appreciate all the friendship and respect shown to me.”
However, in an interview with RÚV Last December, he said he was “delighted to be president,” adding that while he found the position “exciting,” he wasn’t sure he was quite ready to run.
Icelanders go to the polls on June 25 to choose the next president.