World of the Bizarre

Siberian city wants a cat to run for mayor

By T.K. Randall
December 16, 2015

Image: Domestic Cat
Credit: Lau20fe / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) The bizarre turn of events came about after an unofficial online poll run by a social media website resulted in 91 percent of the votes being cast in favor of an 18-month-old cat named Barsik.

The peculiar outcome is thought to be the result of growing public dissatisfaction with the political system following a string of high-profile corruption cases in the region.

"People don't know who to trust any more," said Yevgeny Kuznetsov, a pensioner who lives in the area. "They have come to the conclusion that they can't trust the authorities."Officials from the country's current opposition parties have welcomed the cat with open arms and consider the result to be a form of protest against the way regional politics has been run.

"Barsik is planning to outline his position on the pressing political issues of our region," said the administrator of the social media site responsible for the poll.

"It could also boost the city's tourism industry. Like it or not, Barsik is part of the political establishment of the region and he will not give up on his political ambitions."

Source: Telegraph

Tags: Cat, Siberia, Mayor