Iceland's President clears up his call for a pineapple pizza ban

Iceland's President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson has clarified his outspoken opinions on pizza toppings following a public outcry.

Last week, when answering questions from pupils at a high school in Akureyri, the politician revealed his favourite football team was Manchester United and that he was "fundamentally opposed" to pineapple on pizzas, reports the Washington Post.

While few quibbled with his choice of football team, there was uproar from pineapple lovers across the globe – especially as Johannesson went even further and said he would actually like to ban the combination.

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Presumably cheesed off by the response - and keen to hold on to his 97 per cent approval ratings - Johannesson took to Facebook to reveal he does, in fact, like pineapples, but "just not on pizza".

He added: "I do not have the power to make laws which forbid people to put pineapples on their pizza. I am glad that I do not hold such power.

"Presidents should not have unlimited power. I would not want to hold this position if I could pass laws forbidding that which I don't like. I would not want to live in such a country."

However, far from settling the matter, Johannesson caused further consternation by capping off his Facebook statement by appearing to recommend seafood as a pizza topping instead.

His proclamation that "presidents should not have unlimited power" was also taken as a dig at Donald Trump.

Johannesson has enjoyed huge popularity since his election last June, buoyed by his decision to refuse a 20 per cent pay rise, donate ten per cent of his pre-tax salary to charity and marched in a Gay Pride parade, says The Guardian.