War is very good for some political leaders. Especially if they don’t have to fight, but they can act “worried” from the outside, knowing they’re not going to risk the lives of voters or face the humiliation of losing.
War is a chance to gain popularity with voters by advertising yourself as a tough politician who will do anything to stop the bloodshed.
And in the modern age, you do it through social media.
One person shamelessly exploiting the dire situation in Ukraine is French President Macron, who faces a tough presidential election next month. He takes on ambitious far-right contenders like Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, and every vote counts. Macron’s popularity has grown slightly since the invasion of Ukraine, but how can it be improved?
The President of France decided to completely update the image – no less. Costumes are being replaced by designer stubble and pseudo-army branding.
The pictures taken at the Elysee Palace last Sunday show the new macho Emmanuel Macron.
The neat and tidy mini-Macron went from being a clean-cut bank manager to a rough and tough commando overnight. Someone you could really love (well, maybe for five minutes). Photographs taken at the Elysee Palace last Sunday show the new macho – unshaven, disheveled, with his head in his hands, who behaves like a “man at work”.
What’s more, he’s wearing a cool hoodie emblazoned with the logo of Paratrooper Detachment 10, an elite group of about 300 highly trained fighters. Somewhat ironic, since Macron is the only French president who did not serve in the army (he was a sophomore).
His huge table in the classic Golden Room at the Elysee Palace seems jumbled and chaotic, suggesting that tough negotiations are going on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on Sundays.
These amazing shots were taken by Macron’s personal photographer Soazig De La Moissonnerie, who was paid to follow him during the campaign, posting 10 shots a day on Instagram.
Macron wears a sweatshirt with the logo of Paratrooper Detachment 10.
In the past, the French president has been very precise (and conservative) about his image – a former Rothschild banker, his usual attire consists of a thin navy blue suit, crisp white shirt and tie, well-groomed hair and a sleek chin.
These photos have been carefully selected to convey a new message – here’s an efficient, serious guy who gets things done. Most of the previous campaign photos show white men of a certain age in suits meeting other men in suits.
But the war in Ukraine brought not only grief, devastation and millions of homeless refugees. It hit like lightning in the back of all the men and women of a certain age who sit at the tables of power in Europe.
The new political star rewrote the rules.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a video message in Kyiv yesterday.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is not just an electoral fan – a comedian and TV star who miraculously became the leader of his country – he is a communicator through and through. Someone who is used to speaking under pressure, is not afraid to speak without notes, who skillfully uses modern media to get their message across at every opportunity.
Zelensky has rewritten the rules of political presentation, how we expect a president to look and sound. After the invasion, he abandoned the suit and wore the same khaki jacket and regular T-shirts. He used to be clean-shaven, now he has a beard and looks like he just got out of bed. He looks and sounds completely dedicated to his work.
This is a look that many women (and men) find incredibly attractive. Social media is flooded with fans asking if it’s scary to feel.
Probably, but millions of people around the world are listening to what he says – people who previously had no idea where Ukraine is located and were not interested in politics. It should be good for democracy.
Damaged vehicles and buildings in the center of Kharkiv in Ukraine yesterday
Zelensky is eloquent and straightforward.
It makes a difference.
The man in the crumpled T-shirt is the most charismatic politician in the world.
Other politicians can only stare on the sidelines, amounting to laughing like fangirls and girls.
On Twitter, Justin Trudeau posts a photo of Zelensky speaking in front of the Canadian Parliament on a huge screen. Justin looks excited to be there as history is being made.
Speaking before the British Parliament, Zelensky shamelessly quotes Churchill. Using the same trick that the prime minister has consistently resorted to during the Covid pandemic. And our deputies (and Boris) stand up and give him a standing ovation.
Other leaders are hoping that some of Zelensky’s stellar qualities will give them a break and give them a “rebound”. Hence Macron’s embarrassing staging of a set of “war room” photographs.
Vladimir Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron together at the Elysee Palace in December 2019.
Previously, the publication of photographs of the “huge table” of his meeting with Putin in February was widely derided. Both men are short, and the acres of tabletop between them highlight a giant chasm that Macron will never be able to bridge.
Using carefully selected photographs to promote your brand and enhance your reputation during a national crisis has become a key strategy for today’s politicians. Forget the rules – take the right photos!
Boris has a team that is paid to follow his every move and film him jogging or sitting in a classroom with stunned kids. Or standing with a tie tucked into a wrinkled shirt in hospitals across the United Kingdom, capturing frontline medical staff during a crisis to create a photo opportunity.
Macron also spent hours on the phone with President Putin (at least 12 calls in the last month alone), and they had little effect on the Russian leader’s mindset. But the Frenchman must show voters how hard he works for his country. Hence the awkward photo shoot.
Liz Truss fell into the same trap when she visited Moscow last month. Her photographer captured her posing in a silly big fur hat in front of the Kremlin on an unseasonably warm day.
At least the result wasn’t as harmless as the photos of her jumping out of a tank in Estonia last November.
Truss is smart enough to understand that clothes matter and constantly uses them to guide Maggie Thatcher. Unfortunately, the result is usually more like an advertisement for a recruiting agency.
With a new lover, former health secretary Matt Hancock decided that nothing less than a black turtleneck, jeans and trainers would get him back in the office. How wrong can you be?
Macron learns from his own experience that fashion is a fickle mistress. Far from looking macho, he comes across as the sort of person you would avoid during the latest bookings in your area.