French President Emmanuel Macron has been compared to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for what is perhaps the most unpresidential reason.
It seems Macron has been inspired by Zelensky’s sartorial choices as he was pictured wearing a hoodie and jeans - a get-up miles away from his usual slick suits.
Zelensky has typically been pictured wearing khaki hoodies, fleeces, and t-shirts since the war began almost three weeks ago.
Raphael Grably, a reporter for BFMTV, shared a snap of the French politician along with the caption: “The Zelensky effect”.
The Telegraph’s Ed Cumming quipped: “[Macron’s] white shirtsleeves have gone, replaced by a black French special forces hoodie and jeans, as if at any moment he might be called upon to hack a mainframe or launch a Molotov cocktail at a tank.”
MSNBC's Hayes Brown wrote: "I've seen critics say that Macron looks like he's trying to cosplay Zelenskyy in these carefully staged photos of him making international calls, but honestly? I dig it."
Meanwhile, The Times referred to Macron’s dressed-down look as “the Zelensky look”.
L\u2019effet Zelensky\n\n(Soazig de la Moissonni\u00e8re / Instagram)pic.twitter.com/bAM3ABJmEn— Raphael Grably (@Raphael Grably) 1647264661
Now I\u2019ve seen everything: Macron is cosplaying Zelensky. Nothing bad about that, only confirms a very simple fact: Ukrainian president is now the moral leader of the West.pic.twitter.com/xsaZbPF76q— Anton Shekhovtsov (@Anton Shekhovtsov) 1647277034
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Mail Online questioned: "Is Macron trying to copy Zelensky?", while WION published a piece with the headline: “Imitation, the sincerest form of flattery: French President discards suits, dons sweatshirt. Copying Zelensky?”
It certainly looks like it.
The images of Macron, who next month will seek re-election, were shared on Instagram by the president’s photographer Soazig De La Moissonnière.
The photoset includes close-ups of the president’s eyes and hands, as well as snaps of him talking on the phone.
There are also pictures showing the president deep in thought, and another of him winking.
This isn’t the first time pictures of Macron have hit the headlines. He accidentally became a meme last week after a dramatic set of photographs was released after a call with Putin.Let’s just hope Boris Johnson doesn’t get any ideas…
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