The role of a government in modern society is multi-faceted but includes being a harbinger of justice and a provider of infrastructural amenities. But what happens when it fails in these statutory roles?
In Barnaul, a city in the Russian Province of Siberia, citizens are so fed up with government incompetence that they have chosen to elect a cat as their mayor.
Home to a population of 650,000 people, Barnaul lies 2,900 kilometres east of the Russian capital, Moscow.
The city is expected to get a new mayor next week when a commission comprising the city council and the regional governor choose from among six candidates.
But here is the catch: An informal online survey was conducted in which residents were asked to pick their preferred candidate from a list which includes the six contestants and a cat.
You know what happened? 90 percent of the respondents voted for the cat, a Siamese named Barsik!
While the cat has become immensely popular in Russia, observers say there is an undercurrent of deep-seated dissatisfaction among the people about politicians in the country.
According to the Regional Governor, Alexander karlin, “Through the image of Barsik the cat, our people are sending definite wishes to the future head of Barnaul.”
Credit: Additional report from Associated Press
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